Tag: support

Deadline looms for School Age Payment

Families urged to make sure they don’t miss out

Parents and guardians who get qualifying benefits or tax credits and who have a child born between 1 March 2017 and 28 February 2018 are being urged to check whether they should apply for Best Start Grant School Age Payment as this year’s deadline approaches. 

Applications for the one-off payment of £267.65 per child, which can be used for books, bags, clothes and equipment for school, have to be submitted by midnight on the 28 February closing date. 

The Scottish Government introduced automatic payments for Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment in November 2022. Parents and guardians who get Scottish Child Payment will get School Age Payment automatically when their child reaches eligibility and within the School Age Payment window of 1 June to 28 February.

There are some people who don’t qualify for Scottish Child Payment that could be eligible for School Age Payment, including those who get housing benefit.

There may be others who choose not to apply for Scottish Child Payment who can still apply for School Age Payment. There are also parents and guardians who opted out of automatic payments so they could have more control around when they receive this money. All of these people are being urged to check if they could be due School Age Payment and to apply if they do.  

Statistics last week revealed that more than £105.8 million has been paid by Social Security Scotland in the Best Start group of payments – which also includes Pregnancy and Baby Payment and Early Learning Payment. 

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “If you have a child in the family aged five, or who turns five this month, then you could be eligible for School Age Payment. 

“We are making it easier than ever to apply but we still ask people to check and make sure they know what they are entitled to.

“The Best Start Grant payments, which include School Age Payment, were the first three of our five family payments to be introduced.

“To date we’ve provided more than £100 million across these three payments.

“Making these payments automatic, where we have the information to do so, will enable us to get this money to families at key stages in their child’s development and when they may face additional costs.”

Time to Talk: Business Gateway announces new training with SAMH

Ahead of Time to Talk Day (tomorrow, 2nd February), Business Gateway has announced the launch of a new training programme for its local advisers in association with SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health.

With guidance from experts at Scotland’s national mental health charity, business advisers across Scotland will participate in webinars to help equip them with the skills to encourage more open conversations about mental wellbeing amongst Scottish small business owners.

Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, commented: “We have a network of local advisers who manage relationships with Scotland’s most inspiring and innovative small business owners, however, many of these business owners operate alone and are under increased pressure because of the ongoing economic challenges. 

“Business Gateway is already supporting SMEs through several business start-up and growth support programmes, but we are becoming acutely aware of the need to offer additional wellbeing support, which could be as simple as asking someone if they are doing okay, or that they are taking time for themselves.

“The training delivered by SAMH will focus on helping our business advisers to identify and support individuals who may be struggling, and will also provide advice on how to signpost them to appropriate resources and support services.”

Emma Mamo, Assistant Director of Workplace & Business Development at SAMH, added: “Every year, one in four of us in Scotland will experience a mental health problem, so it’s important to empower as many people as possible with the necessary confidence and skills to support others who may be going through a tough time.

“This training will be a vital addition to Business Gateway’s offering and we’re looking forward to helping its team make a positive impact among the business community.”

Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation.

Taking place annually, it encourages friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives.

To find out more on how Business Gateway can help your business, visit: 

https://www.bgateway.com/

Menopause issues? Join the M Club!

Are you worried about going through menopause? Are you peri-menopausal or have questions about either?

Come along to the M Club on Monday 6th February.

This session will focus on our to keep calm, relax and also how important knowledge is at any stage.

Contact shescotland-victoriaburns@outlook.com for more information

Don’t hide behind ‘fine’ – seek out your breathing space

As Breathing Space Day approaches on 1st February 2023 the message for people across Scotland who might be feeling down is one of hope and support.

Scotland’s mental health service, Breathing Space,  is encouraging people to open up when they are feeling down, instead of hiding behind the phrase we all use, ‘I’m fine’.

Opening up to friends, colleagues, or family is a good place to start but the service’s trained advisers know it’s not for everyone. It recommends finding ways to support one’s own breathing space in ways to suit them which might include a brisk walk, a favourite TV show or podcast, a good book, a feel-good play list or simply some time to sit quietly with their thoughts and feelings.

Breathing Space benches across the country provide spaces for a quiet moment or a quick chat. Breathing Space unveiled its 50th bench recently in Golspie, Highland, in partnership with Change Mental Health as they marked50 years of supporting people.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Looking after our mental health and wellbeing is as important as looking after our physical health. That message is especially relevant now, given the continuing challenges which we all face in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis.

“Breathing Space is a free service providing vital out-of-hours support to people across Scotland who are feeling low, stressed, or anxious. I am pleased to highlight the help available and to support Breathing Space Day.

“I would urge anyone who is experiencing low mood, anxiety or distress in their lives to get in touch with Breathing Space or to look at the range of helpful advice on the website.”

Tony McLaren, National Coordinator of Breathing Space, said: “We are all finding our way in uncertain times right now. If you are struggling to find your own breathing space, please don’t hide behind ‘fine’. Our team are here for you and you can lift the phone or contact us on webchat to open up. 

“Our advisors at Breathing Space are available in the evenings and at the weekends on 0800 83 85 87 or through web chat, to listen and offer information and advice.”

Community pillars join hands with Islamic Relief UK to help struggling families hit by the cost of living crisis

Blackhall Mosque – Sunday 29 January House O’Hill Rd, Edinburgh EH4 2AJ

Islamic Relief UK is partnering with community pillars including Blackhall Mosque, Crookston Community Group and Masjid Al Hikmah to distribute 500 essential food hampers and supermarket vouchers to vulnerable families.

The new year continues to see the cost of living crisis pushing families into poverty and Scotland has seen an alarming rise in food insecurity and the need for financial assistance, fuelling the need for food banks across the city.

Islamic Relief UK will continue to support the most affected through food banks, mosques and other organisations but are calling on the UK government to ensure people have adequate incomes to cover the essentials. 

A new report by the Resolution Foundation finds that there are large increases in people unable to afford essentials compared to the pre-pandemic period. In November 2022, 28 per cent (up from 9 per cent pre-pandemic) of adults say that they could not afford to eat balanced meals, and 11 per cent or 6 million adults (up from 5 per cent pre-pandemic) reported being hungry in the past month but they didn’t eat as they lacked enough money to buy food.

These very alarming outcomes are more common among groups known to experience disadvantage. This includes low-income families, those suffering from domestic abuse, the homeless, asylum seekers and refugees who were already struggling to feed themselves.

Many families in Scotland have been hit hard by the pandemic and suffered a cold Winter of choosing whether to heat or eat.

To help some of the most vulnerable, hampers will be packed with essential food by staff and volunteers, before delivery to locations across the city and residents.

The food packs will contain essential items such as bread, pasta, tea, biscuits, oil, sugar and others.

Tufail Hussain, Director of Islamic Relief UK said: “Food banks are not a sustainable or dignified way to help people who are struggling to survive because they do not have a sufficient or reliable income. We will continue to support the most vulnerable through our programmes, but food banks should not exist in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

“The current cost of living crisis has revealed just how much the UK’s benefits system is failing to support those on the lowest incomes. Only long-term structural change will give people the best chance of escaping poverty and living with dignity.   

“The UK government must do more to deal with the immediate impacts of the cost of living crisis, but also undertake a fundamental review of the UK’s social security system with a view to ensuring benefits provide people with an adequate income to cover their essential needs.”

About Blackhall Mosque and Association of Scottish Muslims

Association of Scottish Muslims (formely CEPA) is a registered charity founded in 2001 by concerned Muslims from Edinburgh. Its purpose is to work with the Muslim community and statutory organisations to build an infrastructure to provide a range of services to promote the inclusion, the development and the welfare of Muslims, enabling them to become a responsible and thriving part of civic life.

Locations:

Masjid Al Hikmah – Saturday January 28 2023 11am – 4pm 31-33 St Clement Street, Aberdeen, AB11 5FU

Blackhall Mosque – Sunday 29 January, 1 House O’Hill Rd, Edinburgh EH4 2AJ

Crookston Community Group – Tuesday January 31 11am-3pm 1005 Paisley Road West, Glasgow, G52 1EQ

Living-Standards-Outlook-2023Download

Free Food! Cooking with Emma at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

Would you like to learn how to cook some new recipes and learn about food, nutrition and looking after your oral health? Sign up for our new cooking course at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre in partnership with LINKnet Mentoring.

We will be delivering a FREE 6 week course starting Thursday 2nd February from 1pm to 3pm. Come and join us for some fun activities, food and meet new people!

If you would like to know more or to sign up, please contact Emma at 📧emma.hamill@edinburghcommunityfood.org.uk, ☎️ 0131 467 7326 or sign up online at https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx…

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Letters: Urgent need for autism commissioner

Dear Editor

As a group of organisations who support vulnerable children and young people, many with autism and a learning disability, we would add our support to concerns relating to a delay in a Scottish Government commitment to establish a commissioner to promote and protect the rights of autistic people.

Currently too many of those with autism and learning disabilities are struggling to get the support needed, with their human rights breached, and a commissioner is vital to help them fight their corner.

However, with a delay in public consultation on this until late 2023, there is a real concern that the delivery of a commissioner is simply not being prioritised.

While not by any means a panacea, a commissioner for autism and learning disability would be the first of its kind in the world, established in law to champion the human rights of autistic people and people with a learning disability.  

It would be a powerful voice, improving access to services and advocating on people’s behalf when they cannot. A commissioner would also close the current gap between what the law says and what actually happens, delivering improvements. Importantly people would also have recourse when the system falls short and fails to deliver for them.  

Many of those with autism and learning disabilities feel invisible, and such a role can help people live good lives with choice and control, free from discrimination. We would urge the Scottish Government to develop a sense of urgency on this vital matter.

Yours faithfully

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Kenny Graham, Falkland House School

Lynn Black, LOVE Learning

Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

4 Queen Street

Edinburgh EH2 1JE

Tel: 0131 603 8996

Club Together at Easter Road

We are delighted to be part of @SPFLTrust Winter Response Fund 2023

🤝

Starting 25th January we have a free lunch offering for our community to attend

🙌🏻

In our community hub space we have hot meals and access to wi-fi / devices, book swap & clothing bank.

Shelter Scotland thanks shoppers for backing its fight against homelessness

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland has thanked shoppers for helping it raise a record breaking £24,000 at the 20th Anniversary of its Stockbridge January launch event.  

The charity shop’s ever popular January extravaganza attracts excited bargain hunters from across Edinburgh and beyond.  

This year saw queues out the door well in advance of the 10am opening time. Shopper patience was rewarded as they snapped up designer clothes from brands such as Prada and Ralph Lauren, early jazz records on shellac as well as beautiful antiques.  

Shelter Scotland is gearing up for the rest of the year and keeping one eye on 2024’s launch event, by asking people to donate any high-quality goods and clothes to help support the fight for home.  

Director of Shelter Scotland, Alison Watson, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who donated items that were sold at our January launch and everyone who came along to grab a bargain on the day.  

“Over its 20 years our Stockbridge January launch has become renowned across the Capital, so it was no surprise to see people queuing out the door before we’d even opened. 

“Raising more than £24,000 from our launch is an incredible start to our year, but we want to keep that momentum going. If you have any good quality items or clothes that you no longer need then please consider them donating to your local Shelter Scotland shop. 

“There is a housing emergency in Scotland that is causing misery in communities across the country. The incredible generosity of our donors and customers will help us in our fight to end that injustice.” 

The cost of feeding the world’s poorest children has soared by 20%

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 hungry children every school day 

Mary’s Meals has warned that the cost of feeding children in the world’s poorest countries has risen by an unprecedented 20% – and that it faces significant challenges in delivering its international school feeding programme in 2023.   

The charity, which was founded in a shed in Argyll, serves nutritious school meals in 18 countries, including Malawi, Yemen and Haiti. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education that can be their ladder out of poverty. 

Increases in prices for commodities – such as grain, fuel and fertiliser – mean the cost to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a school year has increased from £15.90 to £19.15. This is the largest increase in the charity’s 20-year history. 

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “An uncertain year lies ahead, with the escalating cost of living causing much pain for both the children around the world who eat our school meals and those here in Scotland who make our work possible.  

“Simply put, our income is not growing at the same rate as the cost of feeding children.” 

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 children every school day. Alongside the cost of living crisis, many of the countries where the charity works are impacted by conflict, climate change and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which are increasing levels of hunger and poverty.  

Daniel adds: “There has never been a better – or more urgent – time to support our work. Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million. This means that any donation, no matter the size, will have twice the impact and help even more desperately hungry children. 

“The relentless kindness and generosity of people here in Scotland have helped us to grow from feeding just 200 children in Malawi in 2002 to more than 2.4 million children around the world today. It is because of these people that we approach the many challenges we face in 2023 with a deep sense of hope.” 

Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals are being doubled by a generous group of supporters – up to £1.5 million. To find out more about the Double The Love campaign, visit marysmeals.org.uk