Please find below information the City of Edinburgh Council is providing to families in need of financial support.
Further information can also be found on this CEC page.
Supporting families in need
All families entitled to free school meals are continuing to have these payments made. These have also been made during the school holidays. Our most vulnerable children will currently be in our schools and they will be receiving a school lunch in addition to this payment.
The Council does have other support available to families in financial difficulty, information about this can be found here; https://newsbeat-edinburgh.tfemagazine.co.uk/winter-202021/latest-news/food-support-for-citizens
In addition our Parent & Carer Support booklets contain lots of information and advice for families, including how to access financial support in each locality. The link to this is booklet is here; https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/13779/parent-and-carer-support-resources
As part of the 1 in 5 Child Poverty work, the Health & Wellbeing Team are contacting schools with names of children and young people whose families are experiencing homelessness and living in temporary accommodation. They will provide additional signposting to resources and help.
The Discover programme will also be running in the February break. Families can be recommended at any time by going to Discover Recommendation Form. If you are interested, please contact your child’s Pupil Support Leader who will verify you’re your family is able to apply and will nominate your family for this support.
The Advice Shop
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/benefits-grants/advice-shop
We provide
- help with welfare rights including income maximisation through welfare benefits, tax credits and grants
- debt advice to resolve personal debt including credit cards, bank loans, rent arrears, personal loans, store cards, catalogues and mortgage arrears
- help for people affected by cancer through information, advice and advocacy to access entitlements arising as a result of a cancer diagnosis and the extra costs of cancer.