Scottish Child Payment recipients automatically assessed for Best Start Grant payments

Social Security Scotland now checks Scottish Child Payment recipients for the Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment without a separate claim, according to guidance published on 30 June 2025¹. The change applies in Scotland only¹.

The Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods scheme is made up of three one-off payments². The Pregnancy and Baby Payment is £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for subsequent children, and applications run from the end of the 24th week of pregnancy until the baby is 6 months old³. The Early Learning Payment is £331.95 for a child aged between 2 years and 3 years 6 months, and the School Age Payment is a further £331.95³. Best Start Foods is paid at £22.40 every four weeks during pregnancy, £44.80 every four weeks from birth until the child's first birthday, and £22.40 every four weeks for a child aged one to three³.

Automatic assessment covers only the Early Learning and School Age payments. Social Security Scotland cannot automatically pay the Pregnancy and Baby Payment or Best Start Foods, and applications are still required for those². People who do not get Scottish Child Payment must apply separately for the Early Learning and School Age payments². Recipients can opt out of the automatic payments by calling 0800 182 2222 or using webchat².

Eligibility for the Scottish Child Payment itself is £112.80 every four weeks for children until their 16th birthday³. Qualifying benefits for the Best Start payments include Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and, for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods only, Housing Benefit³. Social Security Scotland says it does not need to know someone's income when assessing eligibility³. People under 18 do not need to receive any benefits to apply, and people aged 18 or 19 who do not get benefits or payments can still apply if their parent or carer receives certain benefits³.

Why it matters for households

Families in Scotland receiving Scottish Child Payment no longer have to submit a claim to receive the Early Learning Payment or the School Age Payment, worth £331.95 each per child³. The automatic check is triggered when a child meets the age conditions, so a payment can arrive without an application being made². Social Security Scotland sends a text message or email to say it is checking, and a letter follows if the payment is awarded; the payment reference appears in a bank account as the National Insurance number followed by "SSS BSG"². The payment may arrive before the letter because of postal delays². The Pregnancy and Baby Payment and Best Start Foods are not covered by the automatic process and still require an application². Recipients must report changes in circumstances, such as a change in benefits or address, as these can affect payments².

What happens next

The School Age Payment application deadline closed on 28 February 2026, and people not receiving Scottish Child Payment, or who opted out of automatic payments, had to apply before that date⁴. The published application window for a child born between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 ran from 1 June 2025 to 28 February 2026². No further dates for the automatic assessment process have been reported.