Scottish Child Payment – applications now open

/in /by

What is the Scottish Child Payment?

It’s a new payment for families on certain benefits or tax credits to help towards the costs of looking after a child. £40 is paid every four weeks for each child under six.

It opens on Monday 15 February 2021 but applications are being taken now to help manage demand.

Who can apply?

You can apply for Scottish Child Payment whether you are in work or not.

You may be eligible if you, or your partner, are the parent or full-time carer of a child who will be aged under six on 15 February 2021 and if you receive certain benefits or tax credits.

(Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)).

How many children can qualify per household?

Every child under six in a qualifying family will receive a payment.

How to apply

You can apply online at https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment/ or via the freephone helpline on 0800 182 2222, or by post.

Why are people being asked to apply now?

There is expected to be a huge demand for this new payment. Encouraging people to apply now means that Social Security Scotland can check that they have all the information and evidence needed to make a decision once the benefit starts on Monday 15 February.

What evidence will be required?

You will need to provide evidence that you are responsible for a child under six, usually through the child being named on a benefits claim. If more than one person applies for the same child, a process is in place for deciding who gets the payment, and the person who the child lives with for the majority of time will be prioritised.

Kinship carers can demonstrate responsibility for a child with a legal order or letter of support from a local authority.

Glasgow Helps can offer free vital support to those self-isolating

/in /by

If any of our tenants or factored owners have had a positive COVID-19 test, or are self-isolating because you’ve been asked to by NHS Test & Protect, and you have no support network then Glasgow Helps could assist you.  They can help with things like shopping and collecting prescriptions. 

You can contact Glasgow Helps by texting 07451 289255, lines are open Mon – Fri, 9am to 5pm.  If you have no credit on your phone but can get online, you can contact Glasgow Helps at https://www.glasgowhelps.org/

If you are struggling financially and a Foodbank referral is needed because you’re self-isolating, this can be arranged through Glasgow Helps.  Glasgow Helps will arrange for the food parcel to be delivered.

If you’re self-isolating and can afford food, but are unable to use online shopping, Morrisons offer a Doorstep Delivery Service by phone.  To arrange this please call 0345 611 6111 (Option 5).  Your order will be taken over the phone and delivery arranged.  Payment will be taken by Contactless or Chip & Pin when the shopping is delivered.  If you are elderly or vulnerable, there is no charge for delivery. 

We’re consulting you about increasing the percentage of homes we allocate to the homeless

/in /by

On page 11 of our latest newsletter, we included an article about the increased demand of homeless households for accommodation. The pandemic has certainly made the homeless situation worse across the city and Glasgow City Council is asking Registered Social Landlords, like ourselves, to allocate 90% of lets (excluding transfers where a current tenant needs a move within our area) to homeless households.  This temporary change to our allocations procedures is something we are seeking your views on. 

Please read the article on page 11 and send your views via a private message on facebook, or you can call us on 763 0511 to give your views to Sandra McIlroy or Anne McAlpine.  You can also email your views to sha@shettleston.co.uk.  We would appreciate a response as soon as possible so that we can take your views to our Committee meeting on Tuesday.

You can read our newsletter article about homeless challenges by clicking here.

£15 worth of food for £2.50 from your local food pantry

/in /by

Your local food pantry at 981 Shettleston Road is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10.30am – 2.30pm. Membership is open to all, and for a modest fee of £2.50 you can take away £15 worth of goods from a range of food groups.

The pantry offers a balanced shop to enable you to cook a variety of meals. Each day, the staff will colour code the stock. You can choose up to the maximum amount of items from each different coloured category:

Red = Proteins e.g. packet of meat, tin of tuna, eggs.

Yellow = Dairy e.g. Milk, yogurt, butter

Orange = Pasta/Grains e.g Box of cereal, bag of pasta/rice

Green = Fruit/Veg e.g. Fresh or Tinned Fruit and Veg

Pink = Staples e.g. Stock Cubes, Tea, Lentils

The maximum number of items you can choose from each colour group will change depending on stock availability. Shop staff will be on hand to help you through the experience and provide any assistance that you may need.

Hot off the press – Autumn newsletter 2020

/in /by

Our autumn newsletter is now available to view online by clicking here. This edition contains helpful information about our services, our AGM, improvement projects, updates on our new developments, local projects such as the new food pantry, our performance in the last quarter, and much more. We hope you find it interesting and useful and would welcome any feedback on our newsletter, which you can submit via our website.

All tenants would have received a hard copy of the newsletter in the post – if you did not receive your copy, please contact the office on 763 0511.

Important information about Cash For Kids this year:

/in /by

We have been updated by Radio Clyde Cash for kids that, sadly, due to the impact of Covid-19 on their fundraising activities over the past 6 months, with all corporate fundraising and events unable to take place, they will not be a financial position to open the Cash for Kids family grants this year. We appreciate that this will be disappointing for many families. On a more positive note, Radio Clyde Cash for kids raised £430,000 from listeners and supporters from when the lockdown began, and distributed grants to 12,020 families who were adversely affected by Covid-19, for essentials such as food, fuel, nappies etc.

The decision to not open Cash for Kids grants for Christmas was a difficult one and Radio Clyde Cash for kids will continue with its commitment to helping those in most need.

£500 Self-Isolation Support Grant available from 12th October 2020:

/in /by

From 12th October, the Self-isolation Support Grant can be applied for by those on low incomes who have been advised by the Track and Trace service to self-isolate, helping to ensure those who are affected and qualify are looked after and won’t need to go to work, reducing the community spread of the virus. The grant is for people who receive Universal Credit or Department for Work and Pensions legacy benefits.

The £500 Self-Isolation Support Grant is delivered though the Scottish Welfare Fund and you can apply via Glasgow City Council’s website: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/swf

You must apply for this grant within your 14 day self-isolation period. Those who have been asked to self-isolate on or after 28 September but before 12 October will have 14 days from 12 October to make an application. Please see the weblink above for more information about eligibility and how to apply.

SHA holds successful virtual Annual General Meeting

/in /by

The Annual General meeting (AGM) of the Association’s members was held on 22nd September.  This year it was held “virtually” by video-conference because of the ongoing restrictions on public gatherings.  Advice and assistance were provided to help several people participate who would otherwise have been unable to.  Thanks to all those who made the effort to take part.   At the meeting, Association Chair Gillian Johnston presented her annual report, during what was her fifth and final AGM as Chairperson.  Gillian, who is a NHS nurse by day, described being Chair as “hard work but a privilege” and thanked Committee and staff for their support during her tenure.  She was then warmly thanked for her successful leadership of the Association during a period of significant change and development.

Aileen Ogston of auditors Scott Moncrieff spoke about the Annual Accounts.   The meeting then considered the nominations that had been received to the Management Committee.  Grace Barbour and Gillian Johnston were re-elected and new recruits Isabella Barnes, Elizabeth Battersby, and Jenny Kiernan will also now join the Committee.   This brings the total number of elected Committee members up to ten.  Full details of the AGM are available on request.

You can read the Chairperson’s report by clicking here.

New Covid-19 restrictions in place in Glasgow for two weeks

/in /by

Following an increase in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the West of Scotland, additional restrictions have been introduced for people living in three local authority areas; Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire. The new restrictions came into effect as of midnight on Tuesday 1st September, initially for a two week period.

The restrictions mean that people living in these areas:

  1. should not meet other households in indoor household settings, whether in these areas or elsewhere
  2. can continue to meet other households outside e.g. in gardens or hospitality
  3. should be extra vigilant and follow all guidance.

You can find more information here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-measures/

Remember if you have any #coronavirus symptoms, even if they’re mild, you need to self-isolate and book a test straight away –https://www.nhsinform.scot/test-and-protect?fbclid=IwAR1hsXOcgK081UiZbUfVsY0c0I-L0Yeg4JuTffZ6MzAsFiJQaRuedoVXRWI

Warm Home Discount applications open with many energy suppliers

/in /by

The Warm Home Discount (WHD) is a Government scheme funded by energy suppliers. It’s designed to help lower income and vulnerable households with their energy costs during the winter.If you meet certain criteria, you may qualify to receive the Warm Home Discount payment of £140.

Applications for WHD now open with following suppliers:

British Gas: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/energy-saving/warm-home-discount.html

Scottish Power: https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/whd.process?execution=e1s1

E-on: https://www.eonenergy.com/warm-home-discount.html

N-power: https://www.npower.com/help-and-support/extra-support/warm-home-discount/?AG=003&CH=PPC&REF=GOOGB&WT.mc_id=RESPPCGOOGB&WT.srch=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-O35BRDVARIsAJU5mQVCXxszf-m8ILS7Kvg9YR56sHQn4cTqUYk8lVLPBB4ZGhmEwI7-0gYaAmybEALw_wcB

You can register your interest with following suppliers for WHD:

SSE: https://sse.co.uk/forms/warm-home-discount-register-interest/name

EDF energy: https://www.edfenergy.com/for-home/help-support/warm-home-discount

WHD still to open with E energy: https://www.e.org/support/warm-home-discount

WHD closed with Utilita: https://utilita.co.uk/help/warm-home-discount applications were accepted for one week from 5th of August.