170,000 children eligible for new benefit

An estimated 170,000 children will be eligible for the new £10 weekly Scottish Child Payment when it goes live later this year.

To help manage demand for this new payment, families will be invited to apply in advance of the benefit being introduced in the autumn. Parents will be able to apply by post, phone and online.

Applications will be assessed for eligibility in the autumn with the first payments made by Christmas.

In an additional move to assist families, Best Start Grant payments, Best Start Foods and the new Scottish Child Payment will all be available through a single application – making it more straightforward for people to access the money they are entitled to.

To find out more, or if you have any queries regarding benefit entitlement please contact our Tenancy Sustainment Service on 0300 123 2640, or email customerservice@hillcrest.org.uk.