People living in Scotland are in a unique position as there are currently 13 benefits and payments only available for those living north of the border, with another one set to begin a pilot launch later this month. Next year, another new payment is set to be rolled out, specifically for people over State Pension age with a health condition, disability or long-term illness.
Full details on all these payments are further down this article, but as the temperatures drop and winter settles in, it’s worthwhile spending some time making sure you – or someone you know – isn’t missing out on extra financial support that you’re entitled to. The best place to start is the Cost of Living Support Scotland website – a portal designed to help people of all ages quickly access help and advice about money, benefits, health, energy bills and debt.
Families and individuals on a low income or income-related benefits, struggling to keep up with the economic impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis may be able to get cash help from their local council. All 32 councils across Scotland have funding to help households in financial need, you just need to call and explain your situation.
To make it even easier to check for unclaimed financial support only available from Social Security Scotland, an online tool from Advice Direct Scotland is the first to fully integrate devolved benefits, including Scottish Child Payment and Adult Disability Payment.
It also provides a free, confidential and impartial assessment of entitlement to a range of crisis grants and support payments as well as benefits such as Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance, delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
You can use the online benefits calculator on advice.scot here or call them free on 0808 800 9060. You can also chat with them on the web or email them.
A few of the payments listed below are made automatically to people claiming certain benefits, but most you will need to make an initial application for.
Due to processing times of anywhere between six to 16 weeks, especially for the health-related benefits, the sooner you check your eligibility and start a new claim, the quicker you will receive your first payment – if your application is successful.
14 benefits and payments unique to Scotland
Below is everything you need to know about devolved benefits and payments with direct links to the dedicated pages on the Social Security Scotland website here.
Winter Heating Payment – £55 annual payment
The new annual payment replaces the Cold Weather Payment delivered by DWP last year and was worth £50. It has been uprated in line with inflation and will be worth £55.05 this year.
It is designed to help people on a low income or benefits who might have extra heating needs during the winter. It was paid over fFebruary and March for winter 2022./23 and no announcement has been made for this year yet.
Payments will be made automatically to eligible households – find out more here.
Child Winter Heating Payment – £235 annual payment
This is an annual payment of £235.70 to help families of youngsters up to the age of 19 on the highest rate care component of disability benefits. This includes Disability Living Allowance for Children, Child or Adult Disability Payment and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – find out more here.
Scottish Child Payment – £25 weekly payment
This is a payment of £25 per week, per child – £100 every four weeks – to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who get certain benefits – find out more here.
Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment
This is a one-off payment of up to £707.25 from 24 weeks in pregnancy up until a baby turns six months for families who get certain benefits – find out more here.
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
This is a one-off payment of £294.70 when a child is between two and three years and six months for families who get certain benefits – find out more here.
Best Start Grant School Age Payment
This is a one-off payment of £294.70 when a child would normally start primary one for families who get certain benefits – find out more here.
Best Start Foods
This is a pre-paid card from pregnancy up to when a child turns three for families on certain benefits to help buy healthy food – find out more here.
Funeral Support Payment
This is money towards the costs of a funeral at a difficult time like this for people on certain benefits who are responsible for paying for a funeral. The current average payout is £1,800 – find out more here.
Job Start Payment
This is a one-off payment of £294.70 for 16 to 24 year olds who have been on certain benefits for six months or more to help with the costs of starting a job – find out more here.
Child Disability Payment – up to £691 every four weeks
This is extra money – up to the value of £691 every four weeks – to help with the costs of caring for a child with a disability or ill-health condition. It replaces Disability Living Allowance for children in Scotland that was previously delivered by the DWP – find out more here.
Adult Disability Payment – up to £691 every four weeks
This is extra money – up to the value of £691 every four weeks – to help people who have a long-term illness or a disability that affects their everyday life. It replaces Personal Independence Payment people in Scotland previously delivered by the DWP – find out more here.
Young Carer Grant – £359 annual payment
This is an annual payment of £359.65 for people 16, 17 or 18 who care for people who get a disability benefit from the DWP for an average of 16 hours a week or more – find out more here.
Carer’s Allowance Supplement – £270 paid twice a year
This is an automatic payment of £270.50 made twice a year to people who get Carer’s Allowance through the DWP on certain dates each year. The next qualifying date for the December payment is October 9 – find out more here.
Carer Support Payment – £76.75 weekly payment
Carer Support Payment will replace new claims for Carer’s Allowance from Monday, November 20 for people living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles.
Following the phased rollout, Carer Support Payment will launch across Scotland in Spring 2024. Social Security Scotland will administer and deliver the new benefit which will only be available to new claimants – people already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance from the DWP will not be affected by the rollout.
Similar to Adult and Child Disability Payment, existing claimants will transfer in stages from DWP to the devolved system, but no details have been released on when this will begin.
What is known is that much-like the disability benefits, there will be no break in payments (£76.75 per week) and nobody will need to reapply for Carer Support Payment – find out more here.
Pension Age Disability Payment – launches next year
Pension Age Disability Payment will replace Attendance Allowance as part of a phased pilot launch from Autumn 2024 for new claimants, before rolling out nationwide in early 2025.
Some 129,641 people living in Scotland already receiving either £68.10 or £101.75 each week through Attendance Allowance from the DWP, will not need to apply for the new benefit and will be transferred in stages to the Social Security Scotland system.
Source: Daily Record
