Money Advice - Update

CHILD WINTER HEATING ASSISTANCE

A new allowance is being introduced this winter by the Scottish Government.This is a payment of £200 to families with the most seriously disabled children to help with winter fuel costs.To get this extra money a child or young person must be on the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for Children for one day during the qualifying week of 21 September. If you qualify, there will be no need to apply. Payments will be made automatically. The payments will be made later this winter. The payment date is still to be confirmed. When we are made aware of the payment date will inform you on our website and other social media platforms.

JOB START PAYMENT IS NOW LIVE

A new benefit to support those who are 16 to 24 years old, or up to 25 years old for care leavers, into work after being unemployed for six months or more is now open for applications. You can apply for Job Start Payment if you are a young person who's been out of work and are on certain benefits:

• Jobseekers Allowance
• Income Support
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit.

You need to have been getting either of these benefits on the date of your job offer. If you were getting Contributions JSA or Contributions ESA before this you can still apply, as long as you were on these benefits for at least 6 months. Job Start Payment is £250 to help with the costs of starting a new job. The payment rises to £400 if you have a child.

Have you been offered a job in the last 3 months?

Job Start Payment is a new benefit. You must have been offered a job on or after 17 August 2020 to be eligible. You will not qualify for Job Start Payment if you were offered your job before this. You need to have been offered a job and expect to work at least 12 hours a week, averaged over a 4-week period. You can apply for Job Start Payment up to 3 months after the date you were offered your job. You'll also need to send Social Security Scotland confirmation of your job offer. This can be a letter, an email or a text message from your new employer. If you're self-employed, you can send evidence of an offer of work or a contract. They accept photocopies or screenshots of these and they can be uploaded online or posted. You can only be paid Job Start Payment once every 2 years. If you've been paid Job Start Payment before and more than 2 years have passed since the date you got the payment, then you can apply again.


How can young people apply?
Visit mygov.scot/job-start-payment to apply online or call freephone on 0800 182 2222 to complete an application over the phone or to request a paper application form.


SCOTTISH CHILD PAYMENT TIMINGS ANNOUNCED

It is expected that a significant amount of demand for the new Scottish Child Payment. People are being asked to submit applications from November. Application will be processed from November to ensure that payments can be made from late February onward.
If you qualify, you will be notified in late February 20121. You can apply for this new £10 per week benefit for children under 6 using the same application form that you would use to apply for Best Start Grant payments or Best Start Foods.