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Giving children the best start in life
Support of over £2,600 available through pregnancy and early parenthood
The birth of a new baby can put financial pressure on household budgets, but there’s a wide range of financial support available from the Scottish Government to ensure children have the best start in life.
Families receiving Universal Credit or certain benefits could be eligible to more than £2,600 in financial support during pregnancy and their child’s first year of life, helping with the costs of welcoming a new baby.
Expectant families can apply for the Best Start Foods pre-paid card as soon as they find out they are pregnant, helping ease the costs of buying healthy food. Families can also apply for Pregnancy and Baby Payment from the 24th week of pregnancy. The one-off payment can be used to purchase anything families might need for having a baby, such as a pram, toys or baby clothes. Scottish Child Payment is also available once the child is born to help with anything needed to help raise their new baby.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “Welcoming a new baby is a special and exciting time, and families should have the support they need as they prepare for the arrival of their child.
“This package of support, worth thousands of pounds for eligible households, provides extra help from pregnancy through to a baby’s first birthday and beyond. Backing families in those vital early months is central to our mission to eradicate child poverty, helping parents provide the opportunities every child deserves and giving them the best possible start in life.”
Danielle turned to her local Citizens Advice Bureau after struggling to meet essential costs while caring for her 7 month old baby alone. Financial pressures had become so severe that she was considering selling her home. But with support from Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods helping to ease food shopping bills, Danielle said she and her baby had enough to eat and did not need to use a food bank.
Assistant Director for Policy and Research at Citizens Advice Scotland, Emma Jackson, commented:
“Evidence from across the Citizens Advice network shows the important role that pregnancy and early years payments can play in helping families through periods of financial insecurity and change. Support such as Best Start Grant, Best Start Foods and Scottish Child Payment can help ease financial pressures, enabling families to afford the essentials and support children to get the best possible start in life. Local Citizens Advice Bureaux are there to provide free, confidential and expert advice that’s available online, over the phone or in-person to help people apply for the support they’re entitled to and make sure they don’t miss out on payments that can make a real difference to their family.”
Background
The estimated value of £2,643.15 is based on a family expecting their second child who applies for support from four weeks into pregnancy and receives all eligible payments until their child’s first birthday. Below outlines the estimated values:
The estimated £2,643.15 of support includes:
- £196.00 through Best Start Foods during pregnancy (based on 35 weeks of payments at £5.60 per week).
- £582.40 through Best Start Foods in a child’s first year (based on 52 weeks of payments at £11.20 per week).
- £398.35 through the Pregnancy and Baby Payment for a second or subsequent child.
- £1,466.40 through Scottish Child Payment in a child’s first year (based on 52 weeks of payments at £28.20 per week).
The total amount of support available will vary depending on individual circumstances, family circumstances, eligibility criteria and when applications are submitted. Some families may be eligible to receive more support, while others may receive less.
To find out more about eligibility and applications for Best Start Foods and Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, visit: Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods – mygov.scot
To find out more about eligibility and applications for Scottish Child Payment, visit: Scottish Child Payment – mygov.scot
