Scottish Child Payment website crashes hours after eligibility rules expanded to under-16s

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Scottish Child Payment website has crashed just hours after thousands more kids became eligible for the lifeline benefit.The payment - which was established by SNP ministers as a way of tackling deep-rooted poverty across the country - was increased to £25 per week per child as of today.

The age for those eligible has also risen to 16 - meaning an estimated 300,000 more children are entitled to the benefit. But the Social Security Scotland website crashed on Monday morning with the agency blaming "exceptional demand".The delay could hit families in the pocket as payments are calculated from the date of the initial application.Andrew Smith, a dad-of-one, told the Record he had completed the 10-minute application form only to see the site crash when he tried to submit it.He said: "It's concerning as they have set a rule that you will only get the payment from the date you apply and it won't be be backdated."So if this problem lasts for a few days or a week then people will be missing out on money they are entitled to through no fault of their own."The dad, from Inverness, added: "It might not be a huge amount of money but people can't spend all day trying to refresh a web page."Chances are if you have young children then you have quite a busy life as well.

You necessarily have time to be trying a website at different times of the day. The longer it goes on, the more people will miss out on payments."Nicola Sturgeon had earlier encouraged Scots families to apply for the benefit while visiting a school in Dennistoun, Glasgow.She said: "At a time when the cost of living crisis is causing significant hardship for many families, this increased payment of £1300 per eligible child is even more vital, and the age extension