Figures show the payment of £25 per week to under 16s is reaching 323,315 children.
Overall, £596 million was paid across Social Security Scotland’s five family payments, since their launch, up until 30 September 2023.This comprises £458.5 million for the Scottish Child Payment and £138.1 million for the rest of the five family payments - Best Start Foods and three Best Start Grants (Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment) combined.
Kenneth Gibson MSP said:
“Tackling child poverty is a key mission for the Scottish Government and these figures show we are reaching more of the children and young people who need our help. We’re doing it more quickly too.
“It is estimated that Scottish Child Payment will lift 90,000 children out of poverty this year.
“This uniquely Scottish benefit is in stark contrast with the UK Government’s approach of continued austerity, further outlined in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last week; austerity that Labour would continue through ‘not turning on the spending taps’ as their leader made clear.
“Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and our Best Start Grants provide a robust safety net and are among many actions we are taking in government to lift people out of poverty.
“I encourage people to spread the word as we want all eligible people to receive the help they are entitled to.”
The SNP Government has twice increased Scottish Child Payment; first from £10 to £20 per week per child then £25 when it extended to include all eligible children under 16 in November last year. It will rise 6.7% to £26.70 from next April, well in advance of an SNP Manifesto commitment to raise it to £20 by 2026!
The figures are available in full here:http://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/.../scottish-child...http://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/.../best-start-grant...
Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments are paid automatically to parents and carers who already receive the Scottish Child Payment when their children become eligible.
Families already in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment for a child under the age of six can add older children to their existing award.
There is no cap on the number of children in one family who can receive the Scottish Child Payment.
Families and carers can apply at:mygov.scot/scottishchildpaymentOr by calling Social Security Scotland free on:0800 182 2222
