The SNP Government has set out plans to automatically pay the Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments to parents and carers who already receive Scottish Child Payment when their children become eligible.
This will remove the need for families receiving the Scottish Child Payment to reapply when their child becomes eligible for the Early Learning and School Age Payments.
The change will be introduced later this year when Scottish Child Payment is extended to under-16s and increased to £25 per child, per week.
Kenneth Gibson MSP said:
"Tackling child poverty is a key mission for the SNP Government and automating payments will mean parents and carers automatically receive the financial support they are eligible for, paid directly to them.
“Since launching Best Start Grant in December 2018, the SNP Government has paid North Ayrshire families £1.87 million in Best Start Grants. Automating payments, where we can, will enable us to help even more families.”
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and Best Start Grant School Age Payment are part of a package of Five Family Payments.
This package also includes Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Best Start Foods and Scottish Child Payment.
By the end of 2022, the Scottish Government’s package of Five Family Payments for low-income families will be worth up to £10,000 by the time a family’s first child turns 6, and £9,700 for second and subsequent children.
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