Best Start Grants Scotland - Early Learning Payment

Applies to: Scotland

Early Learning Payment is to help with the costs of early learning. You can use the payment for anything your child needs. This could include toys, clothes and trips. 

Your child doesn’t have to be in early learning such as nursery or childcare to receive a payment.

Can I claim an Early Learning Payment?

You can get an Early Learning Payment if:

• You live in Scotland; and
• You are responsible (or the partner of someone who is responsible) for a child aged between 2 years old and 3 years and six months old; and
• You are receiving any of these benefits

  • Universal Credit; or

  • Child Tax Credit; or

  • Working Tax Credit; or

  • Income Support; or

  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA); or

  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA); or

  • Housing Benefit

If you are under 20 and still in relevant education, and someone is getting Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit or the Child Element of Universal Credit for you, you might be able to get an Early Learning Payment even if you aren’t receiving any benefits.

If you are under 18, you can get an Early Learning Payment even if you don't get any benefits.

In most cases, you cannot get an Early Learning Payment if someone else has already had one for the same child. There are exceptions to this if the child does not usually live with the person who received the payment for him/her. If this is the case for you, you should speak to an adviser.

How much Early Learning Payment will I get? 

Applies to: Scotland

If you are entitled to an Early Learning Payment, you will get £314.45 for each child you can get the payment for. You can get this payment for multiple children.

You can find out how to claim Early Learning Payment in 'How do I claim a Best Start Grant?' guide. If you want to challenge an Early Learning Payment decision, see our guide 'How do I challenge a Best Start Grant decision?'