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Help with benefits and money

We know that money can get tight and things can become difficult, especially with the current cost of living crisis driving bills and costs up.

Our Tenancy Sustainment Service (TSS) can help.

The team can offer a range of help and advice, including:

  • Benefits advice, including finding benefits you may be eligible for and helping you apply
  • Helping you appeal benefits decisions
  • Help and advice on Universal Credit, including helping you apply
  • Accessing furniture, carpets and/or white goods if eligible
  • Dealing with debt issues
  • Home Contents Insurance
  • Opening bank and savings accounts
  • Accessing low cost loans
  • Accessing any grant funds that may support you
  • Advice on money management and budgeting

If you don’t want to come into our office then we can visit you at home. Get in touch with us and we can discuss everything with you.

Universal Credit

Universal Credit replaces a range of working-age benefits with one single payment, and was rolled out in 2018. This will affect new claims as well as people who have had a change in circumstances. Many queries with TSS are about Universal Credit.

Universal Credit replaces the following “legacy benefits”:

  • Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
  • Income-related employment and support allowance
  • Income support
  • Child tax credits
  • Working tax credits
  • Housing benefit

Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears to one person in the household, and people may wait seven weeks to receive the first payment.

An email address and access to the internet is needed as claims must be made and managed online.

If you want to know more about Universal Credit or get support in making a claim, TSS can help. Get in touch with the team now.

In addition to our Tenancy Sustainment Service, there are local agencies that can provide benefit, budgeting and debt advice.

Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1FA

welfare.rights@dundeecity.gov.uk

01738 476900

welfarerights@pkc.gov.uk

0345 1400 095

Saltire Centre, 10-12 Pentland Court, Glenrothes, KY6 2DA

Council Offices, St Mary’s Place, St Andrews, KY16 9UY

www.cabfife.org.uk

0131 200 2360

249 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ

advice.shop@edinburgh.gov.uk

www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/benefits-and-advice

Angus Council Benefits and Money Advice

03452 777 778.

www.angus.gov.uk/benefits_and_money_advice

0141 572 0237

www.moneyadvicescotland.org.uk

0131 550 1000

www.cas.org.uk

0808 808 4000

www.nationaldebtline.org