Here is a check list to see if you can apply:

• You have reached 24 weeks in your pregnancy or your baby is six months or under on the day that you are submitting your application
• You have not had a Sure Start Maternity Grant Payment of £500 from the DWP for the child you are applying for
• You are getting one of the following benefits or tax credits - Universal Credit (UC), Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Working Tax Credit.
• You are under 18 or are aged 18/19, and in full time education, dependent on someone who is getting child benefits, child tax credit or Universal credit child element for you.

What happens when you apply:

• If you’ve asked for one, Social Security Scotland sends you a text to confirm its got your application.
• A team starts checking your application to make sure you are eligible. This includes checking the benefits that you get with the DWP and checking within the Scottish Government for your Baby Box application as confirmation of your pregnancy. If we have any issues checking either of these we will get in touch with you to get evidence - you don't need to do anything further unless asked
• Once we have carried out all the checks, we will write to you to let you know the outcome. If you are eligible, your payment will be made on the same day that we issue your outcome letter and it takes up to five days to reach your account.

Normally it takes 10-15 working days from receiving your application through to processing and then to payment arriving in your account. However, we have had six months of expected applications in our first week – Monday 10 December to Friday 14 December - and this is putting pressure on our processing.

If you feel as though you meet the requirements and wish to apply please visit; here

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