Scotland only — not available in England, Wales or NI
Scottish Child Payment is run by
Social Security Scotland and is
only for families who normally live in Scotland. There is
no equivalent in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live elsewhere in the UK, the nearest support is the
child element of Universal Credit and
Child Benefit — both available UK-wide. If you've moved to Scotland, you may be able to apply now; if you move out of Scotland, you must tell Social Security Scotland because your payments will stop.
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What Scottish Child Payment actually is
Scottish Child Payment is one of the Scottish Government's flagship anti-poverty payments. It exists to help low-income families in Scotland with the everyday cost of raising children — and unlike most benefits, the money is yours to spend however you choose.
Three things make it stand out:
- It's per child, with no cap. You get £28.20 a week for every eligible child under 16 — so a family with three eligible children gets it three times over.
- There's no separate income or savings test. The only money test is the qualifying benefit. If you or your partner get one (such as Universal Credit), you qualify — any amount of that benefit is enough, even if it's been reduced by a sanction or deduction.
- It's paid on top of everything else. Scottish Child Payment does not reduce any other UK or Scottish benefit you or anyone in your household gets, and it stacks with Child Benefit, the Universal Credit child element, and the other Scottish family payments.
It's usually paid every 4 weeks, straight into your bank account — £112.80 per child, per four-week period. The payment is reviewed each April, so the weekly amount can rise.
The 2026 amount
From April 2026, Scottish Child Payment is:
| What you get | Amount |
|---|
| Per eligible child — weekly | £28.20 |
| Per eligible child — every 4 weeks (how it's paid) | £112.80 |
| Number of children it can be paid for | No limit |
So a family with two eligible children receives £56.40 a week (£225.60 every four weeks); with three, it's £84.60 a week (£338.40 every four weeks). The payment is reviewed every April, so this figure can go up over time.
It stacks with the other Scottish family payments
Scottish Child Payment is one of five family payments from Social Security Scotland. The others — Best Start Grant (three one-off payments: Pregnancy and Baby, Early Learning and School Age) and Best Start Foods (a prepaid card for healthy food and milk) — can be claimed on the same application. If you qualify for Scottish Child Payment, it's worth applying for all five at once.
Who qualifies
You can usually get Scottish Child Payment if all of these apply:
- You normally live in Scotland.
- You or your partner are responsible for a child under 16 — this includes kinship carers looking after a relative's or friend's child.
- You or your partner get one of these qualifying benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Any amount of the qualifying benefit is enough — there's no separate income threshold, and it still applies even if your benefit has been reduced by a sanction or a deduction. Only one person can get the payment for a particular child: if two people apply for the same child, Social Security Scotland runs a "double claim" process to decide who receives it.
You can apply before your qualifying benefit is approved
You don't have to wait for your Universal Credit (or other qualifying benefit) decision before applying for Scottish Child Payment. But Social Security Scotland can only process your application once the qualifying benefit is awarded — and that benefit must be awarded within 14 days of your Scottish Child Payment application. So apply for the qualifying benefit first or at the same time.
How to claim
Claim it now — free · Scotland only
Apply online, by phone (free, 0800 182 2222) or by paper form. The same application can also cover Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods. The online form has no save-and-resume, so set aside time to do it in one go. This payment is Scotland only.
- Check you qualify (see above) — live in Scotland, responsible for a child under 16, and you or your partner get a qualifying benefit.
- Have your details ready — your National Insurance number, your bank account details, details of the child or children you look after, and the qualifying benefit you receive.
- Apply to Social Security Scotland — online at mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment, by phone on 0800 182 2222, or by paper form (download it or call to have one posted). You can also ask for the form in different formats and languages.
- Get your payments. If your application is successful you'll be paid £28.20 a week per eligible child, as £112.80 every four weeks per child, into your bank account. The payment continues while you stay eligible — tell Social Security Scotland if your circumstances change.
If you can't apply online — for example you don't have a bank account and need to be paid another way, or you're applying for someone else as an appointee — apply by phone or paper form instead.
Nobody legitimate charges you to claim Scottish Child Payment
Applying is
free through mygov.scot or the free 0800 line, and free help with the form is available from Citizens Advice Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland. Anyone texting a "claim link", cold-calling, or offering to "get your Scottish Child Payment" for a fee is a
scammer — Social Security Scotland doesn't work that way. Suspicious message? Run it through
our scam checker.
Free UK support
Source verification
Primary source: Social Security Scotland — Overview of Scottish Child Payment + mygov.scot Scottish Child Payment guidance ·
socialsecurity.gov.scot/scottish-child-payment. Last verified 8 June 2026. Confidence: High — £28.20 a week per child (£112.80 every 4 weeks) confirmed on the Social Security Scotland overview page (from April 2026); qualifying benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA), under-16 rule, no cap on children, 14-day qualifying-benefit rule and helpline
0800 182 2222 all from Social Security Scotland's own pages. Note: the mygov.scot page still displayed the previous £26.70 figure at time of verification. Key rule: Scotland only — no equivalent in England, Wales or NI; any amount of a qualifying benefit is enough; paid on top of other benefits and doesn't reduce them; one person per child (double-claim process); reviewed each April. Scope: Families normally resident in Scotland. Outside Scotland: Universal Credit child element + Child Benefit (UK-wide). Stacks with Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.
Scottish Child Payment — common questions
How much is Scottish Child Payment in 2026?
It's £28.20 a week for every eligible child under 16, paid every 4 weeks (so £112.80 every four weeks per child). There's no limit on the number of children — a family with three eligible children gets it three times over. It's reviewed every April, so the amount can rise. The money is yours to spend as you choose and it doesn't reduce any other benefit.
Who qualifies?
You qualify if you normally live in Scotland, you or your partner are responsible for a child under 16 (kinship carers included), and you or your partner get a qualifying benefit: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA or income-related ESA. Any amount of the qualifying benefit is enough — there's no separate income or savings test, and it applies even if your benefit's been reduced by a sanction or deduction.
Is it available outside Scotland?
No. Scottish Child Payment is run by Social Security Scotland and is only for families who normally live in Scotland — there's no equivalent in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live elsewhere in the UK, the nearest help is the Universal Credit child element and Child Benefit. If you move to Scotland you may be able to apply; if you move out, your payments stop.
How do I claim?
Apply to Social Security Scotland online at mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment, by phone on 0800 182 2222, or by paper form. The same application can also cover Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods. You can apply before your qualifying benefit is approved, but it must be awarded within 14 days of your application. There's no save-and-resume on the online form, so do it in one sitting.
Does it affect my other benefits?
No — it doesn't reduce any other UK or Scottish benefit you or anyone in your household gets. It's paid on top and stacks with Child Benefit, the Universal Credit child element, and the other Scottish family payments (Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods). Only one person can get it for the same child — if two people apply, Social Security Scotland runs a "double claim" process to decide who receives it.
Related guides
Sources: Scottish Child Payment · Social Security Scotland (overview, qualifying benefits, payment cycles, child responsibility status, kinship-care evidence, double claims: £28.20 a week per eligible child under 16 paid £112.80 every four weeks from April 2026, no limit on number of children, qualifying benefits Universal Credit / Income Support / Pension Credit / income-based JSA / income-related ESA, must live in Scotland, 14-day qualifying-benefit rule, how to apply, helpline 0800 182 2222). mygov.scot · Scottish Child Payment — how it works and how to apply (does not affect other UK or Scottish benefits, one person per child, one of five family payments with Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods; note: the public mygov.scot page still showed the previous £26.70 figure at time of verification, so the £28.20 rate is taken from the authoritative Social Security Scotland overview page). Outside Scotland · Universal Credit child element + Child Benefit (GOV.UK, UK-wide). Free claim help · Citizens Advice Scotland. Scotland only — not affiliated with Social Security Scotland, the Scottish Government or GOV.UK. Last reviewed: 8 June 2026.