At East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau in west-central Scotland, we are here to help. If you live or work in the East Dunbartonshire area, we can give you free and confidential advice on benefits. Please contact us here, chat online or call us on 0141 775 3220. If you reside outside East Dunbartonshire, please contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for assistance. Find them here.
Applying for the Best Start Grant School Age Payment
DEADLINE TO APPLY: *28th February and **1st June 2023
If you have a child soon to be starting primary school and currently receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for a one-off payment from the Scottish Government. The Best Start Grant School Age Payment is to help make sure your child starts school on the right foot.
It can be used for anything your child might need for when starting school. This could be notebooks, pencils, a warm coat or a schoolbag. The grant you will receive is £267.65 for each eligible child. Apply here.
When to apply
You must apply within a certain time to receive this grant. The deadline for those starting school in 2023 is the 28th February.
Here are the deadline dates for applying to the School Age Grant payment:
*If your child’s date of birth is between 1st March 2017 and 28th February 2018, you can apply between 1 June 2022 and 28 February 2023.
**If your child’s date of birth is between 1st March 2018 and 28th February 2019, you can apply between 1st June 2023 and 28th February 2024.
Please note that if your child was born between 1st March 2017 and 28th February 2018, but you have opted to homeschool or defer their entry to next year, you should still apply now. You will not be eligible to apply during the next window on 1st June 2023.
Find out more about the Best Start Grants in Scotland on our previous blog.
Who is eligible and how to apply for the Best Start Grant
Parents who receive the Scottish Child Payment for a child born between 1st March 2017 and 28th February 2018, should get this payment automatically. However, if you have opted out of automatic payments, you will need to apply.
Any parent under 18 with a child born between these dates is eligible for this payment, regardless of what other benefits you receive. Make sure you apply before the deadline.
If you are over 18 and don’t get the Scottish Child Payment, but are in receipt of any of the following benefits, you are eligible to apply for the Best Start Grant:
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
You can still apply for a Best Start Grant School Age Payment if you have just applied to one or more of these benefits.
Apply for Best Start Grants on the Scottish Government website here. Make sure you don’t miss the next Best Start Grant School Age payment deadline of 28th February 2021. If you have any questions or would like help in applying, please contact us below to book an appointment.
East Dunbartonshire CAB is here to help
If you need specific advice on support or benefits, your local Citizens Advice Bureau can help. Residents of East Dunbartonshire can contact us here, chat online or call us on 0141 775 3220. If you live outside of East Dunbartonshire, you can find your local CAB here.
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