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 personalised advice on benefits, such as the Scottish Child Payment. Please contact us here, chat online or call us on 0141 775 3220. If you reside outside of East Dunbartonshire, please contact your own local Citizens Advice Bureau for guidance. Find them here.
The Scottish Child Payment
If you are the parent or carer responsible for a child under 6 years old in Scotland, then you may be eligible for the Scottish Child Payment benefit. This is £10 per week for every child under 6 that you care for, and can be paid directly into your account every four weeks. From April 2022, this will be doubled to £20 per week per child. You need to be receiving certain benefits in order to apply. The money can be used for anything you choose, from school uniforms to family days out.
Who should apply?
This particular child benefit is available to anyone on certain benefits living in Scotland who looks after a child under 6 years of age. A Scottish Child Payment may be available to you if you receive one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
You can still receive it even if you are in work, so long as you are in receipt of one of the above benefits.
It is possible to apply for this payment at any time up until the child turns six – you don’t need to have applied at birth.
Double Claims
The Scottish Child Payment can only be given to one person. So, if there are two parents or carers looking after a child under six, only one of them can receive this Scottish benefit. If more than one person applies for a benefit, this is called a double claim. You can read more about this situation and how to resolve it here.
What do I get?
Once your claim has been approved, you will receive £10 each week per child, which will be doubled to £20 per week from April 2022. This is paid to you every four weeks. The money will go into your bank account.
What can I spend the money on?
You are free to spend the money on anything you wish. Ideas can include clothing and shoes, books, nappies or family days out. Nobody will tell you how you should spend this money – it’s up to you to decide what is best.
However do be aware that there are other Government benefits in Scotland which can help with specific areas of your spending. For example, Best Start Grants can help with buying fresh food for your family. Also, Clothing grants are available to help with school uniform costs.
Applying for the payment
The application process is online, and you can begin it here. It usually takes less than thirty minutes so make sure you have half an hour to spare as you cannot save the form and complete it later. It all has to be completed in one go.
Make sure you have the following information ready before you begin:
- the dates of birth of any children you have
- your partner’s details, if you have a partner
- your bank details, if you have an account
If you don’t want to apply online, or are unable to, then you can call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 to make your application over the phone instead. You can call Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. If you would rather submit a postal application, then you can fill one out here. For a pre-paid envelope to send it back, call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 to have one sent to you.
East Dunbartonshire CAB is here to help
If you are struggling with your Scottish child payment application or would like to find out more about benefits or payments available to you, 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.
Contact us
