Our vision for Scottish Child Payment

Our Recommendations

• The re-introduction of Scottish Child Payment as “Childhood Assistance” not anchored to the reserved benefit system is an opportunity to re-imagine how this new benefit might more effectively target child poverty. 
• Consideration should be given to tapering eligibility as earnings are introduced or increase and the inclusion of a fair work allowance. The Regulations should allow for an adjustment to be made for one set of wages to be reallocated to another assessment period where two wages have been included in the one assessment period.Such tapering would ideally achieve a balance between an earnings allowance and tapering that does not incentivise keeping hours below a cut off point but does provide support to calculate in advance the impact of changes to enable predictable budgeting. 
• Consideration should be given to tapering eligibility as children turn sixteen but are still under the age of nineteen.
• The new payment must maintain its current administrative simplicity but be sufficiently needs targeted as to capture those not currently able to access reserved means tested benefits, including those in receipt of Maternity Allowance, some students, young parents, and those with no recourse to public funds (NRTPF).   
• Access to the new Scottish Child Payment through Social Security Scotland’s Local Area Delivery Teams should be upscaled to become a starting point to developing a holistic, “no wrong door” approach to integrating early years support.