When can I get the Best Start Grant?

The Best Start Grant includes 3 different grants:

• Best Start Pregnancy and Baby Payment – to help with the costs of pregnancy and having a new baby. You will receive £754.65 from your 25th week of pregnancy to 6 months after the birth of your first child and £377.35 on the birth of any following children. The higher amount may also be given for another baby born:
  • • when the mother has had to leave her home due to domestic abuse,
    • after the parent/carer has taken on kinship care of child who was over 12 months old when they started caring for them,
    • to someone granted refugee status, humanitarian protection or leave under the Afghanistan or Ukraine resettlement schemes who had a child before they arrived in the UK.
• Best Start Early Learning Payment – a payment of £314.45 to help with the costs of early learning. It is paid when your child is between 2 years and 3 years 6 months old. Your child does not need to be in nursery to get it. If you did not get the Pregnancy and Baby Payment you can still apply for this part.
• Best Start School Age Payment – a further payment of £314.45 to help with the additional costs when your child is school age. Your child does not need to start school to get this.

You can find further information on our Best start Scotland page.

If you have twins, or a multiple birth, you’ll get £754.65 for the first child if you have no other children living with you, then £377.35 for the babies from a multiple birth and one extra payment of £377.35. If you have other children living with you, you’ll get £377.35 per baby in a multiple birth, plus one extra payment of £377.35.

For more information on who can get the grant and how to claim visit:
www.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods/