The Money Matters Advice Service is a free and confidential service that helps people living in South Lanarkshire or working for South Lanarkshire Council claim benefits and deal with debt.

They provide free unbiased advice on a range of benefit and debt issues and will work with you by discussing all your options and come up with a plan together. They can help with:

• the cost-of-living crisis including advice on energy arrears
• gas and electricity top up vouchers
• debt advice including mortgage and rent arrears and dealing with creditors
• benefits advice
• budgeting

Complete the enquiry form at the link above.

Stressed about Debt? 
High costs of energy, food and fuel mean that many people are finding it impossible to keep up, worrying about debt or falling behind on bills. The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is here for you, with free, confidential and impartial advice in a variety of ways.

Free school meals
If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction from South Lanarkshire Council and you have a child who attends a school in South Lanarkshire, there is no need for you to apply online. The information SLC hold will be used to automatically award free school meals and/or school clothing grants to eligible families. 

Application forms can be found at the link above.

Education Maintenance Allowance - financial help for senior pupils

If you want to stay on at school or college or are home educated, you may be entitled to an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). This is a weekly allowance of £30. It provides financial support to help young people from low income households continue their education.

EMA is paid on a 2-weekly basis in arrears, based on attendance.  School applicants will only be paid during term time. Activity Agreement applicants can be paid over 52 weeks, based on attendance.

Scottish Child Payment is a weekly payment of £26.70 made to families on low incomes in Scotland who have children under 16 years of age. This can help towards the cost of supporting your family to be spent however you see fit.

Child Disability Payment provides support for the extra costs that a disabled child might have.

Child Disability Payment replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children and young people living in Scotland. 

You can apply for Child Disability Payment for a disabled child under 16. The disability can be mental or physical. 

You could get £81.90 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.

You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person.

Young Carer Grant is a yearly payment of £383.75 for young carers in Scotland.

To be able to get Young Carer Grant, you must be 16, 17 or 18 years old.

You must also have been caring for 1, 2 or 3 people for an average of 16 hours a week for at least the last 3 months. If you care for more than one person, you can combine the hours of the people you care for to average 16 hours a week.

Benefits for students and young people factsheets.