Children's Handbook Scotland 2020/21Chapter 7: Children living with kinship carers3. Benefits and tax credits if a child is not looked after Other benefits
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Other benefits
Scottish Welfare Fund payments
As a kinship carer, you may have expenses which could be met by a Scottish Welfare Fund payment – eg, to buy a new bed and bedding for the child. See here for who can qualify.
If you are not able to get a Scottish Welfare Fund payment, ask the social work department if it can help you with the extra expenses you have.
Best Start grant
There are three payments which make up the Best Start grant: a pregnancy and baby payment, an early learning payment and a school-age payment. If you are a kinship carer, you may be able to get one, two or all of these payments depending on the age of the child when s/he comes to live with you.
 
Pregnancy and baby payment
If you are a kinship carer of a child aged under one, you may be able to get a Best Start grant pregnancy and baby payment of £600 (or £300 if you have another child aged under 16 in your household). You must be responsible for the child (see here) and usually you must be on a qualifying benefit (see here).1Sch 2 para 1 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs You must claim before the child’s first birthday. You may be able to get a pregnancy and baby payment even though someone else (eg, the baby’s mother or father) has already received a payment for the child (eg, before the child came to live with you).2Sch 2 para 3 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs
 
Early learning payment
If you are a kinship carer of a child aged between two and three and a half, you may be able to get a Best Start grant early learning payment of £250. You must be responsible for the child (see here) and usually you must be on a qualifying benefit (see here). You must claim while the child is between two and three and a half.3Sch 3 para 1(b) EYA(BSG)(S) Regs You may be able to get an early learning payment even though someone else (eg, the child’s mother or father) has already received a payment for the child (eg, before the child came to live with you).4Sch 3 para 2 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs
 
School-age payment
If you are a kinship carer of a child who is around the age to start school, you may be able to get a school-age payment of £250. You must be responsible for the child (see here) and usually you must be on a qualifying benefit (see here).5Sch 4 para 1 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs
If the child’s date of birth is between 1 March 2015 and 29 February 2016, you must claim between 1 June 2020 and 28 February 2021. If the child’s date of birth is between 1 March 2016 and 28 February 2017, you must claim between 1 June 2021 and 28 February 2022.6Sch 4 para 2 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs
You may be able to get a school-age payment even though someone else (eg, the child’s mother or father) has already received a payment for the child (eg, before the child came to live with you).7Sch 4 para 3 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs
 
1     Sch 2 para 1 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
2     Sch 2 para 3 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
3     Sch 3 para 1(b) EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
4     Sch 3 para 2 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
5     Sch 4 para 1 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
6     Sch 4 para 2 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
7     Sch 4 para 3 EYA(BSG)(S) Regs »
Health benefits
Becoming a kinship carer may mean that you become entitled to health benefits. For example, entitlement to CTC and having an income below a specified level means you are ‘passported’ to certain health benefits. If you are caring for a child aged under three, you may be entitled to help through the Best Start food payment card. For more information about health benefits, see here.
Children are automatically entitled to free dental treatment and vouchers for glasses.