Community / People urged to make sure they are not missing out on benefits
WITH January often being the most difficult month financially people are being encouraged to check they are not missing out on money they are entitled to.
They could be eligible for any of the 12 benefits administered by Social Security Scotland, with seven of these are only available in Scotland.
The benefits which have been introduced over the past four years are available to people on low incomes responsible for children under 16, for people who need help paying for a funeral, disabled people, carers, young people entering the workplace and to help heat homes.
Four of these payments are made automatically to people who get other qualifying benefits.
To make sure people are maximising their income they are also advised to check what other benefits administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) they could be eligible for.
Payments made automatically in Scotland include Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Child Winter Heating Payment as well as Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and Best Start Grant School Age Payment for those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment.
In addition, the new Winter Heating Payment will be paid automatically to an expected 400,000 people across Scotland when it is introduced in February.
Scottish social security minister Ben Macpherson said: “We are committed to making sure that people are getting all the money that they are entitled to.
“That is why we are making payments automatically where we can. Where people need to apply, we are working hard to promote these payments and make the process of accessing them as straightforward as possible.
“People can apply for all our benefits online, by phone, through the post or in person – whatever works best for them. We’ve designed the way we promote and deliver these benefits with the people who they are for to make sure that what we do works for them.”
People can find out more and apply for social security payments at https://www.mygov.scot/browse/benefits or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222
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