Families across Scotland may be entitled to a wide range of benefits, grants and one-off payments designed to help with the cost of raising children. Low income households could also be eligible for help with heating bills and Council Tax.
Support is available through Social Security Scotland, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), with some payments aimed specifically at low-income households or families with disabled children.
Key payments for families
Social Security Scotland administers and delivers more than a dozen benefits for families, parents and carers, including Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grants, Child Disability Payment, School Clothing Grants, free school meals and Carer Support Payment.
Scottish Child Payment is a payment of £28.20 per week, per child – £112.80 every four weeks – to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who get certain benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Income Support. This is a separate payment to Child Benefit, delivered by HMRC, for families in Scotland only.
Child Benefit is paid by HMRC to parents or guardians responsible for raising children. Families can receive £27.05 a week for the eldest child and £17.90 a week for additional children. Parents claiming Universal Credit may also receive additional support for children as part of their monthly payment, depending on when children were born and household circumstances.
Best Start Grants and other one-off payments
Best Start Foods is a pre-paid card from pregnancy up to when a child turns three for families on certain benefits to help buy healthy food including milk, fruit and vegetables. The weekly payment rates are £11.20 at the higher rate and £5.60 at the lower rate.
Best Start Grant – Pregnancy and Baby Payment is a one-off payment that helps with the costs of having a new baby. Eligible families can receive £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for other children. Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment provides £331.95 when a child is between two and three-and-a-half years old, intended to help with early learning and childcare costs. Best Start Grant School Age Payment is a one-off payment of £331.95 in 2026/27 when a child would normally start primary one for families who get certain benefits.
Additional support for disabled children and carers
Child Disability Payment is extra money – up to the value of £778.40 every four weeks in 2026/27 – to help with the costs of caring for a child with a disability or ongoing health condition. It replaced Disability Living Allowance for children in Scotland that was previously delivered by the DWP. Weekly payment rates are: daily living lower care award £30.30, standard £76.70, enhanced £114.60; mobility standard £30.30, enhanced £80.00.
Child Winter Heating Payment is an annual payment to help families of youngsters up to the age of 19 on the highest rate care component of disability benefits and worth £265.50 in winter 2026/27. This payment provides support for people on Disability Living Allowance for Children, Child or Adult Disability Payment.
Carer Support Payment is available for people caring for a disabled child for at least 35 hours a week, worth up to £86.45 a week. The benefit has replaced Carer’s Allowance in Scotland.
Help with school costs and Council Tax
Councils across Scotland offer School Clothing Grants to help parents buy school uniforms, with the amount available depending on the local authority. Children in eligible households may qualify for free school meals.
Every newborn child in Scotland is entitled to a free Baby Box, which includes essential items such as clothes, books and bathing products. Families on low incomes may also qualify for Council Tax Reduction, with the amount awarded depending on income, savings and household circumstances, but typically around £900 a year.
A full guide to all the financial support available to families in Scotland can be found on MYGOV.SCOT.
