£260 payment for thousands of low-income families due before end of this week

19.12.2022 - 14:31 / dailyrecord.co.uk

Families of an estimated 145,000 children will receive extra cash support this week which should help ease some of the financial pressure over the festive season. Winter Bridging Payments have been doubled from £130 to £260 for eligible households where children are in receipt of Free School Meals, however, some of Scotland's 32 local councils are paying out more through an additional winter clothing grant.

Bridging Payments were introduced in 2021 ahead of the extension of the Scottish Child Payment to 6-15 year olds. The final quarterly Bridging Payment has started landing in bank accounts for parents in Glasgow, with more being made in other areas next week.

All payments will be made to those who were in receipt of Free School Meals on November 30 by the start of the school holidays on Friday, December 23 - some councils have already made the payments. Anyone who applied after that date will not miss out but will instead receive the money in January.

The extra support means families will receive up to £650 per eligible child this year. All children registered to receive Free School Meals on the basis of family low income are eligible and will receive this payment automatically.

At the time of the announcement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Rather than looking forward to Christmas, too many families will be dreading it because they don’t know if they can afford to heat their homes or even pay for food.

“As part of our help to the poorest families over last year and this, ahead of rolling out the Scottish Child Payment to under 16s, we have made quarterly Bridging Payments of £130 to children and young people in receipt of Free School Meals.

“I am delighted that the Scottish Government will double the December