As many people return to their jobs following the festive break, those in part-time and full-time work have been reminded that they can qualify for Scottish Government benefits.
People in work can receive many of the payments administered by Social Security Scotland, including those designed to help low-income families.
The Scottish Government also delivers Job Start Payment – a one-off payment to help young people who haven’t been working meet the costs of starting a new job.
In Scotland, around one in three people getting Universal Credit are in work, and Universal Credit is a qualifying benefit for several other payments.
Thousands of working people get Scottish Child Payment and the other benefits which make up Social Security Scotland’s five family payments.
These consist of three Best Start Grants – Pregnancy & Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment – and Best Start Foods.
People with jobs can also qualify for Adult Disability Payment, with qualification not based on employment or income, and one-off payments including Winter Heating Payment and Funeral Support Payment.
Commenting, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Natalie Don, said:
“In January, there are lots of people starting new jobs or returning to work for the first time in a while, and I’d urge them to check what benefits they may be eligible for.
“I’d particularly like to highlight the support available to young people in Renfrewshire starting work through the Job Start Payment.
“This one-off payment can make a difference with the costs of getting up and running in a new job and its important that it reaches as many eligible people as possible.
“The Scottish Government are helping people across Scotland through the cost-of-living crisis by committing £6.1 billion in social security benefits and payments. That’s £1.1 billion more than the Block Grant Adjustment received due to spend on comparable benefits by the UK Government.
"This is the action we're taking whilst one hand is tied behind our backs. Imagine what more we could do with the full powers of independence."