For the first time, a dedicated Welfare Rights Officer has been assigned to schools offering free confidential welfare benefit advice to all families and pupils in the school.
The service takes a holistic approach and works with partners where a need is identified – for example budgeting, debt or utilities advice.
Audrey Ritchie is from North Ayrshire Council’s Money Matters Team and is offering a free service which includes:
- Complete a benefit check for your household
- Confirm the benefits you are entitled to
- Help you to make a claim for benefits
- Help you to dispute benefit decisions
- Help you to dispute benefit sanctions
- Provide appeal representation
- Complete a referral to a partner agency for debt, budgeting or fuel advice.
If you are on a low income or had a recent change in circumstances for example caring for someone, reduction in earnings, unable to work due to sickness / disability or had a baby you may be able to get some help even if you haven’t claimed before or if you think you won’t qualify.
Audrey can be contacted directly on 01294 310498, drop her a text on 0779 907 5426 or email moneymatters@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Alternatively, you can request a referral is made to Audrey on your behalf by contacting the school. This service is free and strictly confidential.
Audrey is working across seven secondary schools. The other schools (Auchenharvie & Ardrossan) have a pilot running via a third sector organisation.
We are providing a new service at local secondary schools to help parents/carers and pupils deal with financial matters.
Audrey said: “I am very proud to be involved in this new initiative and already it is providing support to help families and their children. Sometimes families are intimidated to ask for financial assistance or even unsure of what benefits they are entitled to and how to proceed. The rules can be complex, or sometimes they have been wrongly refused. So we try our very best to help every person in that situation.”