Elected Member Briefing - Scottish Child Bridging Payments changes

About this briefing note

Report by: Greg Boland, Head of Business and Resources

Date: 23 December 2022

Subject: Scottish Child Bridging Payments changes

Responsible Officer: Karen Robertson, Service Manager (Business Services)

Details

Purpose

This briefing note is intended to advise elected members regarding changes to the current arrangements for Scottish Child Bridging Payments.

Briefing Information

Since 2021, the COVID-19 hardship payments and the Family Pandemic Payment into one payment, made 4 times a year. These payments are available for each child  who gets free school meals because of low income and may also be paid where families are experiencing financial hardship.

However, arrangements for the payment of Child Bridging Payments are changing after the 2022 festive holiday payment, made on 22 December. This will be the last that local councils will be paying to families - going forward these payments will instead be made by Social Security Scotland. In addition, the Scottish Child Payment is being extended to include six- to 15-year-olds.

As a result, families who currently receive the payment via the Council, as well as those who will become eligible as a result of these changes will be required to apply to Social Security Scotland for future payments of the benefit if they have not done so already. 

Education and Children's Services will be contacting these families via email to advise of the new arrangements and the Council will additionally be undertaking external communications - news release, further social media activity (some has already been undertaken via our Welfare Rights Team) and website information to alert residents to the changes. Please share these posts as they appear.

Further information regarding the changes is available at Scottish Child Payment - mygov.scot. Alternatively, visit our cost-of-living page.