MSP praises family grants figures

As the end of the school term across Perth and Kinross approaches, local SNP MSP Jim Fairlie has highlighted the wide range of support available to help families with the cost of learning, including 57,895 Best Start Grant and Best Start Food payments worth a total of £4,421,336 paid out to local families by the SNP Government.

- STAFF REPORTER

The Best Start Grant-School Age Payment is a one-off payment of £314.45 to eligible families when their child starts primary school, helping with essentials such as school uniforms, shoes and bags.

This is in addition to the Best Start Foods payment card, which supports families with the cost of healthy food throughout the year.

The SNP Government has also expanded free school meals to all pupils in primary 1-5, with plans to extend this to all primary pupils in the lifetime of this parliament.