What benefits are different in Scotland?

Scotland has devolved several social security powers and created its own benefits through Social Security Scotland. These include: Scottish Child Payment (£28.20/week per child, 2026/27), Adult Disability Payment (replacing PIP), Child Disability Payment (replacing DLA for children), Carer Support Payment with the weekly Scottish Carer Supplement, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, Pension Age Disability Payment (replacing Attendance Allowance), and Winter Heating Payment (replacing Cold Weather Payment). Many of these are more generous than their UK equivalents.

Who can get the Scottish Child Payment?

The Scottish Child Payment is available to families in Scotland who receive a qualifying benefit (Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or Pension Credit with a child element). You can get £28.20 per week for each child under 16 (2026/27). There's no limit to the number of children you can claim for. You must be the child's main carer and live in Scotland. It's paid every 4 weeks by Social Security Scotland.

What is Adult Disability Payment?

Adult Disability Payment (ADP) is Scotland's replacement for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). It provides financial support to people aged 16 to State Pension age with a disability or long-term health condition. The assessment process is designed to be less stressful — with a focus on supporting evidence from your medical professionals rather than face-to-face assessments. The payment rates are the same as PIP (daily living and mobility components at standard and enhanced rates).

Do I need to apply separately for Scottish benefits?

For new claims, yes — you apply through Social Security Scotland (mygov.scot/benefits). If you're already receiving the UK-wide equivalent (e.g. PIP, DLA for children, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance), your benefit is being automatically transferred ('case transfer') to the Scottish equivalent. You don't need to do anything during the transfer — Social Security Scotland will write to you. Your payments won't stop during the transfer.

Scottish Benefits and Payments — Complete Guide to Scotland-Only Support | PocketWise

Scotland has its own social security agency — Social Security Scotland — which delivers a number of benefits that are only available to people living in Scotland. Here’s a complete guide, with rates uprated for 2026/27.

Scotland-Only Benefits Overview

Benefit	What it replaces/supplements	Payment (2026/27)
Scottish Child Payment	No UK equivalent — Scotland only	£28.20/week per child
Adult Disability Payment (ADP)	PIP	Same rates as PIP
Child Disability Payment (CDP)	DLA for children	Same rates as DLA
Carer Support Payment	Carer’s Allowance	£86.45/week
Scottish Carer Supplement	Supplements Carer Support Payment, paid weekly	£11.70/week
Best Start Grant	Sure Start Maternity Grant	£796.65 (first child), £398.35 (subsequent)
Best Start Foods	Healthy Start vouchers	£5.60–£11.20/week (prepaid card)
Winter Heating Payment	Cold Weather Payment	£62.00 per year (flat rate)
Pension Age Disability Payment	Attendance Allowance	Same rates as AA
Funeral Support Payment	Funeral Expenses Payment	Covers necessary funeral costs
Child Winter Heating Payment	No UK equivalent	£265.50/year
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment	Winter Fuel Payment	£211.15–£316.70/year depending on age

Scottish Child Payment

Detail	Information
Amount	£28.20 per week per child (2026/27)
Payment frequency	Every 4 weeks
Child’s age	Under 16
Number of children	No limit
Annual value per child	£1,466.40
How to apply	mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment

Eligibility

Requirement	Detail
Live in Scotland	You and the child
Receiving a qualifying benefit	UC, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or Pension Credit
Main carer of the child	Usually the parent(s) or guardian
Child is under 16	Applies to every eligible child

How Much Could You Receive?

Number of children	Weekly	4-weekly	Annual
1 child	£28.20	£112.80	£1,466.40
2 children	£56.40	£225.60	£2,932.80
3 children	£84.60	£338.40	£4,399.20
4 children	£112.80	£451.20	£5,865.60

Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

Detail	Information
Replaces	Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Who can claim	People aged 16 to State Pension age in Scotland
Components	Daily living + Mobility
Rates	Same as PIP
Assessment	Emphasis on supporting evidence; face-to-face assessments used only when necessary

ADP Rates (2026/27)

Component	Standard rate	Enhanced rate
Daily living	£76.70/week	£114.60/week
Mobility	£30.30/week	£80.00/week
Both (standard + standard)	£107.00/week
Both (enhanced + enhanced)		£194.60/week

Key Differences from PIP

Feature	PIP (England/Wales)	ADP (Scotland)
Administered by	DWP	Social Security Scotland
Assessment	Mandatory face-to-face common	Aims to avoid face-to-face where possible
Supporting evidence	Collected by assessor	Collected upfront — your evidence valued first
Short-term assistance	No equivalent	Can receive payments while challenging a decision
Tone	Often criticised as adversarial	Designed to be dignity-based
Appeals	Mandatory Reconsideration → tribunal	Internal review → appeal, with short-term assistance during

Child Disability Payment (CDP)

Detail	Information
Replaces	Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
Who can claim	Children under 16 in Scotland
Components	Care + Mobility
Rates	Same as DLA
When mobility component starts	From age 3 (higher rate) or age 5 (lower rate)

Carer Support Payment and Scottish Carer Supplement

Detail	Information
Replaces	Carer’s Allowance (now fully rolled out across Scotland)
Rate (2026/27)	£86.45 per week
Scottish Carer Supplement	£11.70 per week, paid automatically alongside Carer Support Payment since March 2026
Do you need to apply for the supplement?	No — paid automatically if you get Carer Support Payment
Combined weekly total	£98.15 (£86.45 + £11.70)

Note: the Scottish Carer Supplement replaced the older twice-yearly “Carer’s Allowance Supplement” for Carer Support Payment recipients from March 2026. A small number of carers still receiving legacy Carer’s Allowance (rather than Carer Support Payment) continue to get the Carer’s Allowance Supplement paid twice a year instead.

Best Start Grant

Three one-off payments for families on qualifying benefits (2026/27 rates):

Payment	When	Amount (first child)	Amount (subsequent)
Pregnancy and Baby Payment	From 24 weeks pregnant to 6 months after birth	£796.65	£398.35
Early Learning Payment	When child is between 2 and 3½	£331.95	£331.95
School Age Payment	When child starts primary school (P1)	£331.95	£331.95

Qualifying Benefits for Best Start Grant

Benefit
Universal Credit
Child Tax Credit
Income Support
Income-based JSA
Income-related ESA
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit

Best Start Foods

Detail	Information
Replaces	Healthy Start vitamins/vouchers
Amount (2026/27)	£5.60/week during pregnancy and for a child aged 1-3; £11.20/week for a child under 1
How it’s paid	Prepaid card, topped up every 4 weeks (£22.40 or £44.80 per 4-week period) — spend in any shop on eligible foods
Eligible foods	Fruit, vegetables, pulses, eggs, milk, infant formula
Eligibility	Pregnant or have a child under 3, receiving qualifying benefits
Duration	Pregnancy until child turns 3

Winter Heating Payment

Detail	Information
Replaces	Cold Weather Payment
Amount (2026/27)	£62.00 per year (flat rate)
Eligibility	Receiving a qualifying benefit (UC, Pension Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support)
Do you need to apply?	No — paid automatically
When is it paid?	Between December and February, based on a qualifying week in the autumn

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment

Detail	Information
Replaces	Winter Fuel Payment for Scotland
Amount (2026/27)	£211.15 if aged State Pension age to 79, £316.70 if aged 80 or over
Eligibility	State Pension age residents of Scotland; most people get it automatically
Income clawback	If your income is over £35,000/year, the payment is recovered through HMRC (or you can opt out) — mirroring the England/Wales Winter Fuel Payment rules

Child Winter Heating Payment

Detail	Information
Amount (2026/27)	£265.50 per year
Who gets it	Families with a child receiving the highest rate of care component of CDP, or the enhanced rate of daily living of ADP
Do you need to apply?	No — paid automatically
Scotland only	No UK-wide equivalent

Funeral Support Payment

Detail	Information
Replaces	Funeral Expenses Payment
What it covers	Burial or cremation costs (paid in full), plus a fixed payment for other necessary costs
Who can claim	Person responsible for the funeral who’s on a qualifying benefit
How much (2026/27)	Covers actual burial/cremation fee + a fixed payment of £1,327.75 for other expenses (£162.05 if there was a pre-paid funeral plan)
Time limit	Apply within 6 months of the funeral

How to Apply for Scottish Benefits

Method	Detail
Online	mygov.scot/benefits
Phone	0800 182 2222 (Social Security Scotland)
Post	Application forms available online or by request
In person	Local Delivery offices across Scotland

Scottish Benefits and Payments — Complete Guide to Scotland-Only Support

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