The Scottish Government is urging workers to make sure they are not missing out on extra financial support.
Working people across Scotland are being urged to check if they are eligible for any benefits administered and delivered by the devolved welfare system.
Social Security Scotland provides 14 payments, including those designed to help households of any size on a low income.
As 2024 begins, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said those in work can claim some parts of social security administered by the Scottish Government.
She pointed in particular to the Job Start Payment, which provides a one-off lump sum of £294.70 – or £471.50 for the main carer of one or more children – who has been out of work or on certain benefits to cover the costs of starting a new job.
Ms Somerville said: “In January there are lots of people starting new jobs or returning to work for the first time in a while and I’d urge them to check what benefits they may be eligible for.
“I’d particularly highlight the support available to young people starting in work via Job Start Payment. This one-off payment can make a difference with the costs of getting up and running in a new job, and again we want to make sure it reaches as many eligible people as possible.
“We are helping people across Scotland through the cost-of-living crisis by committing £6.1 billion in social security benefits and payments.
“That’s £1.1 billion more than the block grant adjustment received due to spend on comparable benefits by the UK Government.”
The latest figures show that in Scotland, around one in three people getting Universal Credit are in work, which is also a qualifying benefit for several other payments.
Thousands of working people get Scottish Child Payments and the other benefits which make up Social Security Scotland’s five family payments.
These include:
- Three Best Start Grants – Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment, and Best Start Foods.
People can apply for the Job Start Payment if they are a young person or a care leaver, which is a person who has spent time in care but stopped being looked after on, or after, their 16th birthday.
If they are applying as a young person or carer, they must:
- Be aged between 16 to 24 years old on the date you got the job offer as a young person, or between 16 to 25 years old as a care leaver
- Have been out of paid work for at least six months on the date you got the job offer
- Have got one of these benefits for at least six months on the date you got the job offer
- Have got a job offer in the last six months
- Have been living in Scotland on the day you got the job offer
- Not have got Job Start Payment in the last two years
Since the payment is set to help with the costs of starting a new job, it can be used to cover travel costs, like a bus or train pass, a uniform or new clothes, childcare, or even to help pay for lunches.
The form takes around ten minutes to complete online, or you can call Social Security Scotland free
