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What is the Best Start Grant?

For parents and main carers in Scotland on a low income who are expecting a baby or have young children.

Applies to: Scotland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

The Best Start Grant is three one-off payments from Social Security Scotland to help with the costs of young children in Scotland.

  • Pregnancy and Baby Payment: £796.65 for your first child, or £398.35 for each child after that.
  • Early Learning Payment: £331.95 when your child is 2 years old to 3 years and 6 months.
  • School Age Payment: £331.95 when your child is old enough to start school.
  • You or your partner usually need to get a benefit such as Universal Credit, but under 18s do not.
  • Apply online, by phone or by post.

Different in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

  • The Best Start Grant is only for people living in Scotland. Elsewhere, you may get a Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500 instead.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

  • Wales: Check gov.wales for Wales
  • Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

  • Scotland only
  • First baby: £796.65
  • Early Learning: £331.95
  • School Age: £331.95
  • Not paid back

What it is

The Best Start Grant is money from Social Security Scotland to help with the cost of having children. It is made up of three separate one-off payments, paid at different stages of a child's early life. You do not pay it back.

It sits alongside Best Start Foods, which is a prepaid card to buy healthy food. One application form covers all of these family payments.

How much you get (2026/27)

PaymentAmountWhen you can apply
Pregnancy and Baby Payment (first child)£796.65From the end of week 24 of pregnancy until the baby is 6 months old
Pregnancy and Baby Payment (any later child)£398.35Same window
Early Learning Payment£331.95 per childWhen the child is 2 years old to 3 years and 6 months
School Age Payment£331.95 per child1 June 2026 to 28 February 2027, for children born 1 March 2021 to 28 February 2022

Twins and triplets

You get an extra £398.35 for twins. That means £1,593.35 in total if this is your first pregnancy, or £1,195.05 if you already have other children. For triplets, you get another £398.35 on top of the twins amount.

Who it is for

You must:

  • live in Scotland
  • be pregnant, or have a child of the right age
  • be the main person looking after the child, such as a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or kinship carer

You or your partner must usually get one of these: Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

Young parents

If you are under 18, you do not need to get any benefits. If you are 18 or 19 and your parent or carer gets certain benefits for you, you can still apply. You will need to give their details.

How to apply

  1. Online. Fill in the online form.
  2. By phone. Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (not bank holidays).
  3. By post. Use the paper form.

One form covers all the Best Start payments, and you get a separate decision letter for each one.

Best Start Foods is paid every 4 weeks onto a prepaid card you can use in shops and online. In 2026/27 it is £22.40 every 4 weeks during pregnancy, £44.80 for each child from birth to 1 year, and £22.40 for each child aged 1 to 3.

Things to know

  • Apply within the time window for each payment.
  • In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there is no Best Start Grant. You may get a one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant instead. People in Scotland cannot get the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Apply for Best Start Grant

Common questions

Do I need to be on benefits to get the Best Start Grant?

Usually you or your partner must get a benefit such as Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based JSA or income-related ESA. If you are under 18, you do not need to get any benefits.

Can I get a Sure Start Maternity Grant as well?

No. If you live in Scotland you cannot get a Sure Start Maternity Grant, so you apply for the Pregnancy and Baby Payment instead.

How do I apply for the Best Start Grant?

Apply online, call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222, or send a paper form.

Official sources

  1. 1.Best Start Grant and Best Start Foodswww.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods
  2. 2.Best Start Grant: who can applywww.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods/best-start-apply
  3. 3.Best Start Grant: how to applywww.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods/how-to-apply
  4. 4.Sure Start Maternity Grantwww.gov.uk/sure-start-maternity-grant

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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