News
Child payment increased for children under 16 years… plus more benefits
Scottish Child Payment, Fuel Support Project, Optopus Energy Warm Home Discount and Warm Banks
Scottish Child Payment
From 14 November, you can apply for Scottish Child Payment for children aged 6 to 15. If you apply before this date, you’ll only get Scottish Child Payment for children under 6 and will need to apply again for any children over 6.
Scottish Child Payment helps towards the costs of supporting your family. It’s a weekly payment of £25 that you can get for every child you look after who’s under 16 years of age. You’ll get the payment every 4 weeks if your application is successful. This has increased from £20 a week to £25.
Scottish Child Payment does not affect any other UK or Scottish Government benefits that you, or any person in your household, currently get. If you want to know how Scottish Child Payment might affect local council allowances or grants, such as the Scottish Welfare Fund, you can contact your local council.
Only one person can get Scottish Child Payment for a child. This means, if two people apply for the same child, Social Security Scotland have a process of deciding who gets the payment. This is called a double claim. The process depends on the benefits that you and the other person are getting.
You can apply whether you’re in work or not, as long as you’re getting one or more of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Fuel Support Project
The Glasgow City Council Fuel Support Project aims to help eligible citizens in Glasgow gain access to a £49 fuel top-up payment, as well as energy advice and assistance.
Families with children at home and receiving Council Tax Reduction are eligible for the support, and they should contact Glasgow Helps on 0141 276 1185 if they require a referral for a fuel top-up or energy advice.
The grant is part of a wider package of support offered to citizens through the Glasgow Helps team who will support with fuel needs as well as any other needs identified. Glasgow Helps staff will carry out an eligibility check, and a grant of £49 will be awarded via a fuel voucher which will be administered on the families’ behalf by HEAT (The Wise Group) directly with the energy provider.
This funding was allocated as part of the City Budget agreed earlier this year and will now be distributed to some of the city’s most financially challenged households following the appointment of a leading anti-poverty organisation – the Wise Group – as a partner in the scheme.
Grant applications open at 9am on 3 October, and lines are open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. Households can fill out the Glasgow Helps online referral form to request a call back from the team by visiting: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/glasgowhelps
For more benefits and information see – Social Security Scotland – Benefits
OPTOPUS Energy Warm Home Discount (WHD)
Applications for the £150 WHD payment are now open. If Octopus is your energy supplier, you may be eligible for a Warm Home Discount. Anyone who receives a means tested benefit – such as income support, or universal credit or have an annual household income of under £17005 can apply for this support payment. Application numbers are limited, so please apply as soon as possible. You can find out more here – Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Warm Banks
Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life and The Voluntary Sector are working together to open public buildings to create welcoming warm spaces which will provide company, advice, food and drink. There will also be access to Wifi and PCs. The following buildings are now open to offer warm spaces.
Bridgeton Library
Barlanark Community Centre
Barmulloch Residents Centre
Bridgeton Library
Castlemilk Community Centre
Drumchapel Library
Easterhouse Library @ The Bridge
Finns Place
Govanhill Community Centre
Kingsway Community Connections
Milton Library
Mitchell Library
Partick Library
Penilee Community Centre
Pollokshaws Library
Ruchill Golf Pavilion
Shettleston Library
Woodside Library
Yoker Community Campus
Cranhill Community Centre
Netherton Community Centre
Pollok Community Centre
Possilpoint Community Centre
St Francis Centre
If you have any further questions or are in need of any support, contact us directly or hannah@peekproject.co.uk
