Funds awarded to maximise benefit take-up
Organisations which will help to maximise the take-up of benefits and household incomes in Scotland have been awarded £600,000.
Twenty-six organisations from across the country received allocations to support hard to reach groups, single parents and people with particular barriers such as mental or physical disabilities to apply for Scottish social security benefits.
Two Edinburgh-based organisations – Big Hearts Community Trust (£11,860) and FAIR (Family Advice Information Resource) (£24,214) – are among the recipients.
The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s Benefit Take-Up Strategy, launched in October 2019.
Announcing the successful applicants at North East Sensory Services, a charity in Aberdeen awarded £42,665 to help people with hearing and sight impairments, Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We believe social security is a human right and an investment in the people of Scotland. That is why everyone who is eligible to apply for benefits should have the support they need.
“Along with local delivery staff, we want third sector organisations to add their expertise and reach out to help those who need it most.
“This funding of £600,000 will be vital to support those who face barriers to access the financial support they are entitled to and increase their incomes. This includes the people with sight or hearing impairments who are supported by North East Sensory Services.
“This funding shows we are determined to do things differently in Scotland and create a new social security system that puts dignity, fairness and respect at its heart.”
Graham Findlay, Chief Executive of North East Sensory Services, said: “The support we provide reaches more than 6,500 blind and deaf people across the North East of Scotland.
“We are delighted that the Scottish Government has recognised the particular difficulties our service users have in finding out about and applying for crucial benefits that help them to live their lives as independently as possible.
“This funding is vital to upskill our staff team with specialist knowledge so we can provide essential support to those who need help navigating the benefits system.”
While no North Edinburgh organisations received income maximisation funding in the latest round, receiving the benefits to which they are entitled can make a huge difference for people who face a daily struggle to get by.
Granton Information Centre’s income maximisation work has seen an incredible £3.3 MILLION put into the pockets of local people over the last financial year – money that they were entitled to but had not been claiming.
“Despite local and national awareness campaigns we still see people every week who are not receiving their full benefit entitlements”, said GIC manager Caroline Pickering.
“There are a number of reasons for this – the benefits system is complicated and there have been a number of significant changes over recent years. It can be confusing and the complicated form-filling – or, worse still, lengthy telephone calls to government agencies – can put people off.
“We encourage clients to persevere, however, as we support them through the process. For some people, getting the money they are entitled to really can make a life-changing difference.”
