Tackling Poverty Update - 29 May 2025

Social Security Scotland – 5 Family Payments Update and Resources 

Do you work closely with families and young people?

There are 5 family payments to help people who get qualifying benefits manage the costs of raising a family. The payments can be spent on anything needed for example, trips away, new clothes etc

  • Scottish Child Payment: £108.60 every 4 weeks (£27.15 per week)
  • Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment: £767.50 payment for a first child and £383.75 for subsequent children
  • Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment: One-off £319.80 payment
  • Best Start Grant School Age Payment: One-off £319.80 payment
  • Best Start Foods: £21.60 every 4 weeks during pregnancy, £43.20 every 4 weeks from birth until the child’s first birthday, £21.60 every 4 weeks for any child from 1 until they turn 3 

    For more information on the family payments see the factsheets via the QR code below that have also been translated in 15 different languages and hosted on LinkedIn

Social Security Scotland - Homepage

Citizen’s Advice Scotland – Energy Advice Data 

New data on those seeking energy advice from Citizens Advice Scotland.

Between January and March 2025:

  • 41% of people seeking energy advice needed emergency support like fuel vouchers
  • Over 1,100 asked about discretionary credit for prepayment meters
  • Our Extra Help Unit dealt with 3,700+ self-disconnection cases, including 200 in Scotland

The head of social justice at Citizen’s Advice Scotland, spoke to The Scotsman newspaper this week in response to this recent research that one in four people have lost sleep because of financial worries.  
Read Emma Jackson’s interview below

Scots 'living on financial knife-edge' with many just one emergency bill away from crisis

Poverty Alliance Briefing on the Pathways to Work Green Paper 

The Pathways to Work Green Paper includes proposed changes to Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Briefing: Scottish Government debate on UK Government Welfare Reforms - The Poverty Alliance

Consultation is continuing by the Scottish Government on the development of the next Child Poverty Delivery Plan.

Below is a diagram highlighted in today’s session from Bright Start Bright Futures and shows the holistic support needed to support people into employment and the importance of Fair Work that takes people out of poverty.

Executive Summary - Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022 to 2026 - gov.scot

Robertson Trust – Funding for Community Organisations 

Robertson Trust offer both revenue and capital funding for registered charities and constituted community groups that help people and communities in Scotland who are living with poverty and trauma. Worth a look!

Funding | The Robertson Trust

As always, please get in touch with Sheena Watson or Audrey Whyte if you would like more information on any of this week’s content. We would also value any contributions you would like to make towards future editions.

Contact: Sheena Watson

Email: sheena.watson@fife.gov.uk