Families of an estimated 145,000 children will benefit from extra support this winter to help with cost of living pressures, backed by Scottish Government investment of £18.9 million. First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced on Monday that Scottish Child Payment Bridging Payments in December will double from £130 to £260.
Bridging Payments were introduced in 2021 ahead of the extension of the Scottish Child Payment to 6-15 year olds. The final quarterly Bridging Payment will land in bank accounts before the schools stop for Christmas holidays on December 23. The extra support means families will receive up to £650 per eligible child this year.
All children registered to receive Free School Meals on the basis of family low income are eligible and will receive this payment automatically. October Bridging Payments started at the end of September and should all be made by Monday, October 17.
How to get £260 December Bridging Payment
Payments are automatic, however, if you have not yet registered for Free School Meals, you can do it now to receive the December payment of £260 and may also still qualify for the October payment - most councils advise this will arrive later once it has been processed.
Below is a list of all 32 Scottish councils with a direct link to the Free School Meals or Bridging Payments section.
Some payments have already been made, so if it’s not already in your account, it may be worthwhile checking before the schools stop for the holidays.
October and December Bridging Payments
Inverclyde Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Renfrewshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
West Dunbartonshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
East Dunbartonshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Glasgow City Council
- £142.50 from October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Applications received by September 23, 2022 and meet the criteria will be paid on October 14. Applications received between September 24, 2022 - October 16, 2022 and meet the criteria will be paid by November 11, 2022.
Applications received after October 16, 2022 and meet the criteria will only receive Free School Meals and not the additional payment for the October break.
East Renfrewshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
North Lanarkshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Falkirk Council
- £130 by October 7
- £260 by December 21
West Lothian Council
- £130 at the end of September for all children in P6 and above in receipt of Free School Meals. The payment should also have been made to children in P1 to P5 with Universal Entitlement to Free School Meals if the household income meets the Free School Meal qualifying criteria
- £260 before December school holidays
Edinburgh City Council
- £145 on October 10, 2022. Paypoint payments will be made between October 10, 2022 and October 14, 2022. The payment is made up of £130 Bridging Payment and £15 holiday payment. If you make an eligible application on or before the end of term on October 14, 2022, you will also receive the October holiday payment.
- £260 before December school holidays
Midlothian Council
- £130 on October 13, 2022. Any payments not made by October 14, 2022 because applications have not yet been completed or approved will be paid by November 30, 2022. There is also £14.70 October holiday payment per Primary pupil and £16.10 per October holiday payment per Secondary pupil.
- £260 before December school holidays
East Lothian Council
- £130 on October 10 for those currently registered for Free School Meals before September 23, 2022. New applications processed and approved between September 24, 2022 and October 14, 2022 will be made by November 11, 2022.
- £260 before December school holidays
Clackmannanshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Fife Council
- £130 on October 5 - Parents and carers of children who receive Free School Meals, will get a payment of £24.00 (£2.40 per day), per child for the October holidays. The payment should have arrived along with the Bridging Payment.
- £260 before December school holidays
- £50 additional payment for kids' winter coats - This is an additional payment that will be automatically paid into the bank accounts of those entitled to the free school meals and clothing grant. You do not need to apply for this payment if you already get the free school meals and clothing grant.
Dundee City Council
- £130 from October 7
- £260 before December school holidays
Angus Council
- £130 from September 30
- £260 on or around December 23
Aberdeenshire Council
- £130 by October holidays
- £260 before December school holidays
Aberdeen City Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Moray Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Highland Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles Council)
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Argyll and Bute Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 by December 23
Perth and Kinross Council
- £130 on October 7
- £260 by December 23
Stirling Council
- £130 by October 10. In addition, you will receive £2.40 per child for each weekday during the 10 October to 21 October 2022 holiday period. and £2.40 per eligible child due to the schools being closed for the Queen’s funeral on 19 September 2022. In total, this is £26.40. Stirling Council has also agreed to top up this payment from its budget by £20 per week per child. As the October holidays are for two weeks, you will receive an additional £40 per child. This means that a total payment of £196.40 will have been made for each eligible child.
£260 by December 23
North Ayrshire Council
- £230 by October 14 - includes £100 Cost of Living payment The eligibility for the £100 payment is being extended to low-income families of children of pre-school age. Any families who have pre-school children with an older sibling at school who receives low-income Free School Meals will automatically receive the £100 payment. For families who do not have older siblings that receive low-income Free School Meals, you can apply for this payment by completing the application on the website here.
- £260 before December school holidays
East Ayrshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
South Ayrshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Dumfries and Galloway Council
- £130 by October 17
- £260 before December school holidays
South Lanarkshire Council
- £130 by October 14
- £260 before December school holidays
Scottish Borders Council
- £130 before October school holidays
- £260 before December school holidays
Orkney Islands Council
- £130 before October school holidays
- £260 before December school holidays
Shetland Islands Council
- £130 before October school holidays
- £260 before December school holidays
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Rather than looking forward to Christmas, too many families will be dreading it because they don’t know if they can afford to heat their homes or even pay for food.
“As part of our help to the poorest families over last year and this, ahead of rolling out the Scottish Child Payment to under 16s, we have made quarterly Bridging Payments of £130 to children and young people in receipt of Free School Meals.
“I am delighted that the Scottish Government will double the December Payment from £130 to £260.
“That will help put food on the Christmas table for families of 145,000 children and young people. I don’t pretend it will make all of their worries go away - no government with our limited powers can ever do that. But I hope this investment of almost £20 million will bring a bit of Christmas cheer to those who need it most.”
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 three times each week - sign up here.
