New benefit for low-income families for cost of sending children to school

● £250 payout for eligible applicants ‘at a time when they need it most’

Low-income families can now apply for a new benefit to help cover the costs of sending a child to school.

Applications for the school age payment can be made from today for eligible families who have a child old enough to be starting school this August.

The payment will provide £250 per child, paid in the year the child starts school.

The application process will be open until 29 February next year, while parents who have deferred school entry so that their child starts school in August 2020 are also encouraged to apply in the current window.

Following the introduction of the payment, the Scottish Government is delivering four new benefits: the best start grant pregnancy and baby payment, the early learning payment, the school age payment and the carer’s allowance supplement.

The payment is par t of the best start grant, a package of three payments for families in receipt of eligible benefits – including universal credit, income support, housing benefit and tax credits – to help at key stages in a child’s life.

The best start grant package also includes the pregnancy and baby payment, which has been open for applications since December 2018, and the early learning payment, which launched in April.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-anne Somerville said: “Covering the costs of a child starting school puts pressure on family finances and we have created this new payment to help ease that burden, putting more money into the pockets of families at a time when they need it most.

“We are committed to doing all we can to make sure Scotland is the best place for a child to grow up.

“We want to increase financial support to families, bringing equality to children by giving them help towards a fairer start.

“We also want to encourage everyone who is entitled to a payment to apply, so will be working with services to promote the benefit to ensure as many people as possible are aware they can access this new additional support.”

Scottish Greens social security spokeswoman Alison Johnstone encouraged all eligible families to apply for the grant.

She said :“Greens have been calling for expansion of income maximisation schemes that raise awareness of social security entitlements and offer support to apply for them.

“One such scheme, Healthier, Wealthier Children, which is putting millions into the pockets of families when it would otherwise go unclaimed, is being rolled out across Scotland because of Green action.

“We should be building a new Scottish social security system that doesn’t simply wait and hope people will apply, but actively reach out to make people aware of what support they are due and ensure that gets to them.

“Making families aware that children star ting school can get this new help is an important part of that.”