Best start welcome

SNP MSP Jeane Freeman has welcomed the announcement that the first payments of the Best Start Grant will be delivered to families in Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley in time for Christmas.

The Best Start Grant - which provides low- income families with financial support during the early years of a child’s life – will see eligible applicants receive £ 600 for their first child, £ 100 more than the UK government’s equivalent in England.

Best Start Grants replace and expand on the UK Government’s Sure Start Maternity Grant by providing eligible families with £ 600 on the birth of their first child and £ 300 on the birth of any subsequent children.

Jeane said: “This is a significant investment in families and children and we are making it because we know how important it is for children to have the best start in life. I was pleased to lead the consultation on Best Start as the Social Security Minister earlier this year and am delighted to see that these payments will be made in time for Christmas. These new payments will ensure that our under 5s get the best possible start in life.

“It’s vital that the SNP government can provide help at a time when families in Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley are seeing UK government social security support drastically reduced, and Universal Credit is causing hardship across Scotland.”