Households in one part of the UK can apply for a free cash payment of nearly £332 from today (Monday, June 1).
Applications are now open for a Best Start Grant school age payment, which pays a one-off cash payment to families with children aged between four and five who are ready to start primary school.
The payment is administered by Social Security Scotland and only open to those living in Scotland, not England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The grant, which is not repayable, gives £331.95 per child and can be spent on anything families need, from clothes and stationery to school trips.
To get a Best Start Grant school age payment, the person applying will normally need to be receiving one of seven key DWP benefits including Universal Credit, housing benefit, income support, Pension Credit, income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) and income-related employment and support allowance (ESA).
Applications are open to families with children born between March 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022 from June 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Starting school is a landmark moment in a child’s life, but sadly it can also put real financial pressure on families.
“That’s why we introduced the Best Start Grant school age payment – to help ensure that every child in Scotland can begin their school journey with what they need, regardless of their family’s circumstances.”
Ms Somerville said: “This support is a vital part of our wider commitment to eradicating child poverty, making sure help reaches families at key moments in a child’s life.”
Whether a family can receive the payment depends on the child’s age and when they are first old enough to start primary school.
Social Security Scotland said families did not need to wait until their child started school to apply.
Those who are deferring their child’s start date, or whose child will not be attending school, are still eligible and must apply before applications close on February 28, 2027.
Families receiving Scottish child payments who are eligible should get an automated payment and do not need to apply.
Sara Spencer, Cost Of The School Day project manager, said: “We know from our work with children and families that starting school adds real pressure to already stretched family finances.
“That’s why it’s really important that families apply for the financial support, like the school age payment, that they are entitled to.”