People across Scotland facing challenges in managing their household finances will now receive enhanced support in community settings, thanks to a new accessible advice fund.
Nearly £1m has been distributed to forge partnerships between advice agencies and other local services, including schools, charities, hospitals, and mental health services.
The newly established fund aims to build on the Welfare Advice and Health Partnerships initiative’s success, which placed dedicated advisers in 180 GP practices in Scotland’s most deprived and rural areas. The initiative’s success ensured that support reached those most in need, and this fresh funding will continue that mission.
The focus will be on providing assistance to those who are traditionally hard to reach or have not previously sought advice. The intention is to create a more accessible support network that extends to various community settings.
Scotland’s Housing Minister, Paul McLennan, highlighted the increasing importance of advice services in the wake of the cost of living crisis affecting many households. He said: “The cost of living crisis is putting many households across Scotland under huge strain. Advice services play an increasingly critical role across Scotland’s communities by helping people to access support and benefits they may be entitled to, as well as helping them to understand their rights.”
The funding is part of a more extensive £12.3m package that the Scottish Government is providing this year to support income maximisation, welfare, and debt advice services. The Housing Minister further noted that the funding would ensure advice is given in places where people are more likely to be, with a particular focus on reaching families.
The underlying message is that early access to advice can substantially improve people’s financial situations and prevent problems such as debt from escalating.
Grants are being distributed on behalf of the Scottish Government by Advice UK, the UK’s largest support network for independent advice organisations.
