Over 10,000 families in North Lanarkshire will receive a welcome winter boost of £100 per child from the Scottish Government.
The Covid winter hardship payment is for each child, not per household, and will be made directly into the bank accounts of parents or carers.
The payments will be made directly into bank accounts on Friday (December 18) and funding is only for those families who normally qualify through financial assistance. It doesn’t include those who will universally receive free school meals for children in P1 to P3 during the winter holidays.
An alternative PayPoint payment will be made for some families who do not have suitable banking arrangements in place.
Councillor Frank McNally, Convener of Education and Families, said: “This payment, along with the Club365 monthly payments to cover lunches at weekends and holidays which North Lanarkshire Council has been distributing to support families on low incomes, will hopefully make a big difference to the lives of so many families in our communities.”
Parents/carers who think they are eligible for the Covid winter hardship payment and have not received notification of an award by Monday, December 21 should email the council on Covid19WinterPay@northlan.gov.uk
Households who applied for free school meals due to low income after November 30, 2020 are eligible for the Covid winter hardship payment and an additional payment run will take place in January.
Families have until 22 December to submit an application for free school meals in order to receive a winter hardship payment early in the new year.
If your circumstances have changed recently and you would like to apply for your child to receive a free school meal then please visit the schools and learning section on the council website: northlanarkshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-meals
