Interim £15/week payment to S6 school leavers

Pay £15 per week to all those school leavers who are 17 & 18 and locked out of the benefits system. In a rural area with no access to jobs (with no transport!) these kids have zero income (part time jobs have vanished suddenly) and the face zero income for at least 26 weeks if heading into tertiary education. They still have the ongoing commitments they had previously eg phone contracts but absolutely no way of funding these now.

Many of these kids are used to paying their own phone contracts, buying their own toiletries etc through part time earnings while in S6 at school. They have left school precipitously, with no marking of the event, and almost all immediately lost all jobs int he catering/hospitality and other sectors. They find themselves with ZERO income for the forseeable future - which impacts self esteem, mental health and independence. Those already in tertiary education HAVE access to finding, but this S6 group falls between the cracks and has no income whatsoever for what may well be a very extended period. Scottish ministers response to this has been to suggest Child Benefit is still being paid but this covers food and utilities and is paid to the parent - leaving this group still with no income whatsoever.