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Families across Highland are urged to apply for best start grant


By Staff Reporter

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Emma Roddick MSP, in the Scottish Parliament.
Emma Roddick MSP, in the Scottish Parliament.

Families in the Highlands eligible for this year’s best start grant school age payment are being urged to apply.

The payment, which is only available in Scotland, is open to families who get tax credits or certain other benefits and have a child who was born between March 1, 2016 and February 28, 2017.

It is part of five family payments delivered by Social Security Scotland which also include best start foods, best start grant pregnancy and baby payment, best start grant early learning payment and Scottish child payment.

Best start foods payments are set to increase to £4.50 per week on August 1 to support low-income families to buy healthy food for children under the age of three.

Regional SNP MSP Emma Roddick said: “The SNP Scottish Government is working to ensure that every child in the Highlands and Islands has the best start in life and these payments – which have been described as game-changing – form part of that effort to build a fairer, more equal Scotland.

“As part of that work, the Scottish Government is set to increase best start foods payments within its first 100 days in government – the SNP is also committed to doubling the Scottish child payment to £20 a week as soon as practicable.”

She said the best start payments had been vital in ensuring children had the best start in life with around £5000 of support being provided by the time a child turns six.


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