Financial Support
When you are grieving or chronically ill, dealing with financial issues on top of everything else can be overwhelming. It is important to get the right advice and support at the right time and also ensure that you can trust everyone who helps. Here are some resources to help.
Money Advice Scotland is an organisation established to help anyone in debt. They have a benefits calculator here
This is a very helpful website with information about Council Tax, Debt, Budgeting, transferring marriage tax allowance and other things
This website tells you all the supports that are available to help with your finances and staying in the workplace or getting back to work.
If you call first to register, Social Security Scotland will then back pay any money to that date. If you apply online you only get paid from when your application is completed. It is advisable to speak to Citizen’s Advice to get help filling out these forms or alternatively Social Security Scotland can send someone out to help you.
For practical tips on covering cost of funerals, childcare, education, bridging payments, benefits and loads more – it is helpful for older people too!
Citizens Advice will tell you what benefits are available and also help you fill out forms. You will need to make a longer appointment to fill out adult disability living allowance forms.
Funeral support payment is a one-off grant to help with the costs of a funeral if you are on a low income. The funeral may be of a partner, family member or friend. It could also be the funeral of a child who is still-born.
If you provide care for more than 35 hours a week you can apply. Find out more from the link above.
Attendance Allowance is for people over pension age. It will soon be replaced with ‘pension age disability payment’. The form requires a lot of detail and health evidence, but worth persisting with. It is for help with extra costs if you have a disability. You do not need someone caring for you in order to claim and is open to people of State Pension Age or over, currently the amount is £68.10 per week. Citizens Advice would help fill out the form.
If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness you automatically get the highest rates for adult disability payment. Social Security Scotland will help you complete your forms if you need support.