More than £1bn issued since launch of Scottish child payment

The Scottish Government’s flagship family benefit has issued payments worth more than £1 billion since it launched in February 2021.

Figures for the Scottish child payment show £344.7 million was paid out between April and the end of 2024.

Qualifying families in Scotland receive the weekly payment of £26.70 per child.

More than 400,000 applications have been received since the benefit launched, of which just over 330,000 have been authorised.

The median processing time for applications has improved to nine days, reducing from 13 days in the previous financial year.

As of December 31, a total of 326,080 children aged up to 15 were actively benefiting from Scottish child payment.

Social Security Scotland also released results of a survey it carried out of 1,025 clients who received at least one of its five family payments.

Some 81% of clients were women and 16% were men, with 43% of recipients living in the fifth most-deprived postcodes in Scotland.

The survey found 90% of clients rated the application process as “good” or “very good”.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: ”Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s top priority and a national mission.

“Our investment in Scottish child payment has seen over £1 billion worth of these payments issued by December 31 2024; that is money directly in the pockets of those families who need it most.

“Modelling published in February 2024 also estimates that the Scottish child payment could keep 60,000 children out of relative poverty this year.

“Scottish child payment is actively improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Scotland – helping their families to access essentials and experiences they might otherwise miss out on because they live on a low income.

“In the coming year it is forecast we’ll invest a further £471 million, ensuring that this support continues to reach even more families and children who need it.”