Please note that benefits/ legal information can change frequently and if relying on information it is important to check it is up-to-date. The information on this page is current when we post it but we are all volunteers and we cannot guarantee our efforts to keep the page up-to-date are always successful. Please look out for the notices stating when the page/ section was last updated and double-check anything important for your situation. Sources for current info include our Links page.
If you have no money then please check out the very useful information in this CPAG factsheet. It is especially geared to Scotland but some of the information applies to the rest of Britain.
If you have no luck with the avenues listed, do come down to the ECAP drop-in any Tuesday 12 – 3 pm. Isolated, we can be bullied and ignored but with the backing of a group we are much stronger. For example ECAP and residents’ groups in Edinburgh have had success in supporting claimants for Scottish Welfare Fund grants by putting forward a case to the claimant’s local councillors. The SWF is administered by local authorities so councillors are ultimately responsible.
We have successfully chased up cases where there was a long delay in making a decision, and also succeeded in getting negative decisions overturned. Edinburgh councillors can be found here. For other council areas look on the local council website.
For support when you have no money, see also our Free Food section.
In connection with the information in the CPAG factsheet, please note the number for the Scottish Welfare Fund in Edinburgh is 0131 529 5299. The local authority Social Work number in Edinburgh is 0131 200 2324 during office hours and 0800 731 6969 is the emergency number outside office hours.
[last updated: November 2019]
