Best Start Grant: The Three Payments Every Parent Should Know About

The Best Start Grant is three separate lump-sum payments that Scottish families can claim at different points in their child’s early life. It’s run by Social Security Scotland and — like Scottish Child Payment — has no equivalent in England. Here’s the complete picture.

The three payments

1. 1

   Pregnancy & Baby Payment

   Up to £796.65 for your first child, £398.35 for subsequent children. Claim from 24 weeks pregnant up to the baby's first birthday.
2. 2

   Early Learning Payment

   £331.95 per child, claimed between age 2 and 3.5. To help with the cost of clothes, toys and learning resources as toddlers grow.
3. 3

   School Age Payment

   £331.95 per child, claimed the year they start P1. To help with uniform, schoolbag, stationery and settling-in costs.

Each payment is a one-off lump sum. Each is claimed separately, at the right age — though you can apply for all three at once in some circumstances.

How much could you get for one child?

For a first child, across the three stages, you can claim up to:

• £796.65 (pregnancy and baby)
• £331.95 (early learning)
• £331.95 (school age)
• = £1,460.55 total

For a second or subsequent child, the pregnancy and baby element drops but the other two stay the same:

• £398.35 (pregnancy and baby)
• £331.95 (early learning)
• £331.95 (school age)
• = £1,062.25 total

Who can claim?

You need to be getting one of these benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit

Or — and this matters — if you’re under 18, you can get the Pregnancy & Baby payment without needing a qualifying benefit. Same if you’re 18 or 19 and still in full-time school or in a parent’s benefits claim.

When to apply for each payment

The School Age Payment has an application window that opens the year your child starts P1. If you miss the window, you miss the payment — so it’s worth setting a reminder.

How to apply

Applications are made to Social Security Scotland via mygov.scot — a single form covers Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods. You can apply online, by post, or by phone.

You’ll need:

• Your details and NI number
• Details of the qualifying benefit you’re on
• Details of the child or expected due date
• Bank details for the payment

Decisions are usually made within a few weeks. Approved claims are paid as a lump sum directly into your bank account.

Best Start Grant vs Sure Start Maternity Grant (England)

England has a Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500 — but only for the first child and only at pregnancy/birth. There’s nothing equivalent to the Early Learning Payment or School Age Payment.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Not applying for the pregnancy payment early enough. You can claim from 24 weeks — don’t wait.
• Missing the school age window. Put the application date in your calendar now.
• Assuming you have to apply three times from scratch. The Social Security Scotland system remembers you; subsequent applications are faster.
• Forgetting about younger children who qualify retroactively. If your child is already at school but you weren’t on a qualifying benefit when you could have applied, you’ve missed that particular payment — but you can still claim anything in your child’s current age bracket.

What happens if your claim is refused

If Social Security Scotland refuses your Best Start Grant application, you have a clear route to challenge the decision. Most refusals come down to one of three things: the qualifying benefit wasn’t recorded as active on the date of the application, the claim window had closed, or a detail on the application didn’t match HMRC or DWP records.

Step 1: Request a redetermination

You must request a redetermination within 42 days of the date on your decision letter. This is a formal internal review — Social Security Scotland looks at the decision again, usually with a different decision-maker. They are required to complete the redetermination within 56 days of receiving your request.

To request a redetermination, write to Social Security Scotland or call 0800 182 2222. You don’t need a lawyer or advice worker to do this, but it helps to include any additional evidence — for example, a Universal Credit award letter showing your benefit was active on the date of the application, or a letter from HMRC confirming your tax credit award.

Step 2: Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal

If the redetermination still goes against you, you can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security Chamber). This is an independent body — separate from Social Security Scotland — and the hearing is free to attend. You do not need to be represented by a lawyer, though you can bring someone with you for support.

Appeals are most successful when there’s documentary evidence that the qualifying benefit was genuinely active at the time. Gather your award letters, bank statements showing benefit payments, and any correspondence with DWP or HMRC before the appeal date.

Scottish Welfare Fund

If you have an urgent financial need while waiting for a Best Start Grant decision — for example, you need to buy essential baby equipment before the application is resolved — the Scottish Welfare Fund provides Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants for people in hardship. Contact your local council to apply. It is not a loan and does not need to be repaid.

Best Start Grant and other payments: what can be claimed together

A common source of confusion is whether claiming Best Start Grant affects other benefits or payments. The short answer is that it does not affect any of them. Here is how the main payments interact:

Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods

These are two separate payments from Social Security Scotland. Best Start Grant is a one-off lump sum (up to three times, at different stages). Best Start Foods is an ongoing prepaid card loaded with money every four weeks — £22.40 during pregnancy, £44.80 once the baby is born and under one year old — used to buy food. Claiming one does not affect the other, and you are actively encouraged to claim both at the same time using the same application.

Best Start Grant and Child Benefit

Child Benefit is paid by HMRC, not Social Security Scotland, and is a separate entitlement for any child living in the UK. Receiving a Best Start Grant payment does not reduce your Child Benefit, and claiming Child Benefit does not affect your Best Start Grant eligibility. If you are not already claiming Child Benefit, claim it as soon as your baby is born — it is not means-tested (though the High Income Child Benefit Charge applies if either parent earns over £60,000).

Best Start Grant and Scottish Child Payment

Scottish Child Payment is £28.20 per week per eligible child under 16, paid to families on qualifying benefits. Like Best Start Grant, it is administered by Social Security Scotland. Receiving a Best Start Grant lump sum does not reduce your Scottish Child Payment, and vice versa. Both are designed to sit alongside each other as part of Scotland’s package of support for low-income families. You should apply for Scottish Child Payment as soon as your child is born if you are on a qualifying benefit.