North Ayrshire Money Smart

Money Smart provides advice to the following priority groups:
• All North Ayrshire Council tenants
• Non-council tenants (ie housing association tenants, those living in private lets or owner occupiers) who:
o Are engaged with and referred by Health and Social Care Partnership services, NHS, North Ayrshire Council and third sector agencies – eg foodbanks, Citrus or Woman’s Aid
o Have dependent children or are pregnant
o Have a disability
o Are carers
o Are from minority ethnic backgrounds
Our specialist welfare rights and debt advisers provide free, impartial and confidential advice and support to ensure you receive your full, legal entitlement to benefits and help with debt options.

Our Service Includes:

• Welfare Rights Advice:
o Complete benefit checks
o Help to make a claim for benefits
o Start new claims for benefits
o Help you dispute benefit decisions and sanctions
o Provide appeal representation

• Money and Debt Advice:
o Advice and support with debts, including rent and council tax arrears
o Negotiating affordable repayment plans and help with insolvency options such as bankruptcy
o Budgeting advice
o Help with Discretionary Housing Payments
o Help to access crisis support and other grants
o Help with banking

• Advice on housing options
• Under-occupation charges
• Digital support

Services Offered

Benefits
Debt Advice
Welfare Rights

We also currently have Money Smart Projects in North Ayrshire GP’s Surgeries, Food Banks, Education, Macmillan and Housing.