Scottish Child Payment
Scottish Child Payment is £28.20 per week for each child aged under 16 in your household in 2026/27. To get it you need to be receiving a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related ESA.
Payment is made every four weeks. You apply through mygov.scot. Unlike Child Benefit, the payment does not reduce if you are a higher earner, but it is only available to those on qualifying low-income benefits.
For a family with three children under 16 on qualifying benefits, Scottish Child Payment adds £84.60 per week on top of DWP payments. That is £338.40 per four-week period.
Best Start Foods
Best Start Foods is a prepayment card scheme for pregnant people and families with young children. You receive money loaded onto a card every four weeks to spend on fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk, infant formula and other eligible foods.
During pregnancy you receive £22.40 every four weeks. For each child under 1 you receive £44.80 every four weeks, and for each child aged 1 to 3 you receive £22.40 every four weeks. Payments stop when the child turns 3.
To qualify you must be pregnant or have a child under 3 and get a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit. There have been no income limits on those benefits since February 2024, and some parents under 20 qualify without one. Apply through mygov.scot. The card can be used at most major supermarkets.
Best Start Grants
Best Start Grants are one-off lump sum payments to families at key points: the Pregnancy and Baby Payment (£796.65 for first baby, £398.35 for subsequent babies), the Early Learning Payment (£331.95 at age 2 to 3 and a half) and the School Age Payment (£331.95 at primary school entry).
All three are available to families on qualifying low-income benefits. Applications go through Social Security Scotland via mygov.scot. Unlike UK-wide Sure Start Maternity Grant, Best Start Grants do not have a strict two-child restriction in most cases.
Winter Heating Payment
Winter Heating Payment replaced Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. It is a fixed payment of £62.00 paid automatically to eligible households each winter. Unlike Cold Weather Payment, it does not depend on the temperature dropping below a threshold. If you are eligible, you receive it every winter without needing to apply.
Pension Credit qualifies on its own. Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA and income-related ESA qualify only with an extra condition, such as a disability element or premium, or a child under 5 (on Universal Credit, only if you are not working). DWP passes data to Social Security Scotland who make the payment. You do not need to do anything to receive it if you are eligible.
Scottish Welfare Fund
The Scottish Welfare Fund provides emergency grants for people in financial crisis. There are two types: Crisis Grants for unexpected emergencies (fire, flood, loss of income) and Community Care Grants to help people set up or remain in the community, for example after leaving care, prison or hospital.
These are grants, not loans. They do not need to be repaid. You apply through your local council. Awards depend on your circumstances and the council's budget. Decisions are typically made quickly for genuine emergencies.
UC Scottish Choices
If you claim Universal Credit in Scotland, you can request UC Scottish Choices. These allow you to receive your rent element paid directly to your landlord (instead of managing it yourself), and to receive half-monthly payments instead of monthly. Both options are available regardless of whether you are in arrears.
To request Scottish Choices, tell your work coach or note it in your UC journal. The changes can take one to two assessment periods to come into effect. Half-monthly payments mean two smaller payments per month rather than one larger monthly payment, which some claimants find easier to budget with.