The cost of living crisis is showing no signs of slowing down and continues to put even more pressure on families across the country to keep up with soaring energy bills and rising prices at the supermarket. For single parents, the challenge can seem even greater and earlier this week, SNP MP Kirsten Oswald, asked the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) what support is available specifically for them.
In a written response, DWP Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression, MIms Davies MP, outlined the 10.1 per cent benefits uprating which is due to come into effect next month. This will see benefits including Child Benefit, Child Tax Credits, Disability Living Allowance for Children and the Child Disability Payment increase.
Ms Davies also explained that from April 1, the National Living Wage will increase by 9.7 per cent to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over - its largest ever cash increase.
Households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments in 2023/24. This will be split into three payments of £301/£300/£299 across the new financial year which starts on April 6. No payment windows or qualifying dates have been announced yet.
Ms Davies said: “In addition, individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment. Further to this, the Energy Price Guarantee will be extended from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, meaning a typical household bill will be around £3,000 per year in Great Britain.”
She also highlighted more help for childcare and how it is a “key enabler of employment for parents” adding that more than £20 billion has been spent over the past five years supporting families with the cost of childcare.
The DWP Minister said: “Work continues across Government to identify opportunities to improve support further, including to boost the take-up of existing offers.”
New Scottish Child Payment
Families in Scotland claiming certain benefits can now access a range of devolved payments, including the new Scottish Child Payment, which is worth £25 per week for every child under the age of 16.
Parents who qualify for the extra financial support, which is paid every four weeks, who are also eligible for the Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age payments, will receive them automatically without the need to apply for them separately.
Social Security Scotland will notify eligible claimants by text message when they are checking eligibility for the Best Start Grants and, if they are eligible, will write to advise them of the payment.
The move to automatic awards will mean less paperwork for tens of thousands of families and ensure that people automatically receive the support to which they are entitled.
The move builds on work already completed to make applying for Social Security Scotland’s five family payments as simple as possible. It also includes the ability to apply for all children in a household on a single form.
Below is everything you need to know about the benefit, you can find more information and apply directly on MyGov.Scot here.
What is the Scottish Child Payment?
Scottish Child Payment helps towards the costs of supporting your family. It is a weekly payment of £25 that you can get for every child you look after who's under 16 years of age. You will get £25 per week, per child. The money is paid every four weeks.
Scottish Child Payment is part of a wider package of five family payments including:
- Best Start Grant
- Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment
- Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
- Best Start Grant School Age Payment
- Best Start Foods
Who can apply?
Only one person can get Scottish Child Payment for a child and it does not affect any other UK or Scottish Government benefits that you, or any person in your household, currently get.
You may be able to get Scottish Child Payment if all of the following apply:
- you live in Scotland
- you or your partner are getting certain benefits or payments
- you or your partner are the main person looking after a child who's under six years old
Benefits or payment you or your partner must get
You can apply whether you're in work or not, as long as you're getting one or more 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)
How to apply
For full details on claiming the benefit or to make a new claim, you can do it online here. You can also apply over the phone by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 222.
To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out daily, Monday to Friday - sign up here.
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Parents in Scotland claiming certain benefits may also qualify for new £100 monthly child payment
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Check how much of the £1,350 cost of living payments you are due this year
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New Child Benefit update for people making a new claim online or adding to an existing one
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Full list of one-off payments for parents and households due over the next 12 months
