Families across Scotland may be entitled to a range of benefits, grants and one-off payments designed to help with the cost of raising children, with support available through Social Security Scotland, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Some payments are aimed specifically at low-income households or families with disabled children.
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 and Child Benefit
The Scottish Child Payment provides £28.20 per week per child, which is £112.80 every four weeks, to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who receive certain benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Income Support. This is a separate payment to Child Benefit, delivered by HMRC, and is available to 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.
Best Start Grants and Best Start Foods
Best Start Foods is a pre-paid card available from pregnancy up until 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.
The 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.
The 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. The 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 receive certain benefits.
School support and disability payments
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 also 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.
Child Disability Payment provides extra money, up to £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, previously delivered by the DWP. Weekly payment rates are £30.30 for the lower care award, £76.70 for standard care, £114.60 for enhanced care, £30.30 for standard mobility and £80.00 for enhanced mobility.
The Child Winter Heating Payment is an annual payment worth £265.50 in winter 2026/27, helping families of young people up to the age of 19 on the highest rate care component of disability benefits. It provides support for people on Disability Living Allowance for Children, Child or Adult Disability Payment.
Council Tax and carer support
Families on low incomes may qualify for Council Tax Reduction, which helps reduce Council Tax bills. The amount awarded depends on income, savings and household circumstances, but is typically around £900 a year.
People caring for a disabled child for at least 35 hours a week may qualify for Carer Support Payment of up to £86.45 a week. The benefit has replaced Carer’s Allowance in Scotland.
A full guide to all the financial support available to families in Scotland can be found on MYGOV.SCOT.
