ANGELA CONSTANCE MSP WELCOMES £4,439,049 IN SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR WEST LOTHIAN FAMILIES

ANGELA CONSTANCE MSP WELCOMES £4,439,049 IN SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR WEST LOTHIAN FAMILIES

Angela Constance MSP praises the Scottish Government's Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, as new figures indicate that 11,380 children in West Lothian have benefited from these payments. Since 2018, the government has provided £130 million in support for pregnancy and early years family care, benefitting 1.7 million families.

These payments are part of the five key benefits that families may be entitled to from Social Security Scotland – the Best Start Grant is comprised of three one-off payments and Best Start Foods is a prepaid card which can be used to buy healthy foods. Families who qualify for the Scottish Child Payment are now automatically awarded Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments when their child becomes eligible.  From November 2022 until June 2023 14,825 Early Learning Payments and 23,810 School Age Payments were made. In the first six months of this year, payments worth £4,439,049 have been made to West Lothian families.

Angela Constance MSP, commented:

“The Scottish Government is committed to reducing child poverty, as demonstrated by the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods payments benefiting thousands of families in West Lothian. However, families are still suffering from the cost-of-living crisis. Despite this, the Scottish Government will work to mitigate the effects. 

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