Information from Rights Advice Scotland and MART on the range of benefit supports available to eligible families, including amounts. MART are available to discuss benefits with any residents who may be eligible, and can help them navigate their entitlements to maximise their income.
Support for Families from ASDA
During the Easter holidays at Asda children who are 16 and under can access a hot or cold meal for free to take away when an adult spends £1.
Link to more information about the Asda initiative.
Around the World
For the next two weeks we will be having a focus on learning about different countries around the world and languages. The home learning grids give some ideas for activities that your child may like to try. How many children can complete 3 activities of their choice over the next two weeks?
Literacy resources to support remote learning
A range of activities from our reading Recovery teachers to support the development of literacy at home.
Stay Home and Begin Writing for Parents&Carers
Stay Home and Write Posters for Parents&Carers
Stay Home and Read Poster for Parents&Carers
Stay Home and Talk Posters for Parents&Carers
East Renfrewshire Council – Standards and Quality Report
Education Department Standards Quality Report_2019-20
The Education Department has published it’s latest Standards and Quality Report to reflect the work of the department last session.
Support for Parents
Emma our Health and Wellbeing worker has produced a document to provide parents and carers with a range of links to a range of sources of support and advice. We hope that you find it useful.
COVID-19 UPDATE
Please note that there have been changes to the self isolation period.
https://www.gov.scot/news/reduction-in-self-isolation/
Extract from info on Scottish Government website.
Changes to public health requirements for positive contacts and overseas arrivals.
Anyone required to self-isolate, due to contact with someone who has had a positive test for coronavirus (COVID-19), or as a result of quarantine rules on arrival from overseas will need to do so for 10 days following updated clinical advice.
Currently the self-isolation period for international travellers and for contacts of positive cases in Scotland is 14 days but this is changing from Monday (14 December 2020).
The change, taking effect from Monday, applies as follows:
- Someone who, from 14 December, has been contacted through Test and Protect – including by the scotapp – or their Local Health Board and have been notified to self-isolate, should do so for 10 days.
- Someone who, from 14 December, is required to quarantine following arrival into Scotland from overseas, should self-isolate for a period of 10 days.
- Someone who was previously instructed to self-isolate will, from 14 December, be able to stop self-isolating ten days from when they were first notified to do so.
- Close contacts include members of the same household who test positive for COVID-19 – from 14 December, they will now only need to isolate for 10 days, rather than 14.
School admission applications and placing requests for session 2021-2022
Guide from East Renfrewshire Council on making school admission applications for Primary One children due to start in August 2021 and other school places for 2021.
If you need help there are services who can help you
Council and Community Help
Whether you need information on school clothing grants and/or meals, budgeting advice, support with benefit applications or getting into work, East Renfrewshire Council and our partners are here to help
- COVID Response Team
East Renfrewshire’s COVID Response team is the first point of contact for all COVID19 related enquiry. The team can answer general enquiries about COVID19 and also arrange for services during isolation. The team will signpost residents to specialist service that can help
Contact 0800 111 4000 or Shielding@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
- The Community Hub at Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire (VAER)
The Community Hub is for anyone who wants to help out in their community or those who don’t have friends, family or neighbours to help them with essentials.
The Community Hub is connected in to neighbourhood groups and other voluntary organisations carrying out valuable work to support people throughout the pandemic. It is a ‘one stop shop’ for anyone looking to give or receive a little help.
Contact the Community Hub Monday to Friday 10am – 3pm on 0141 876 9555 or by emailing hello@va-er.org.uk
For more information, visit: https://www.va-er.org.uk/the-community-hub
- The Money Advice and Rights Team (MART)
MART offer expert and confidential advice on money worries, benefits and budgeting. They can help with benefit applications and appeals to make sure you have your household income maximised by making sure you have all the benefits you are entitled to. They can also support you with you debt and t can speak to your creditors on your behalf, whilst helping you understand what the people you owe money to can and cannot do.
Call 0141 577 8420 or email mart@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
There are lots of other specialist services in East Renfrewshire:
- Work East Ren
Work East Ren help people aged 16+ in East Renfrewshire to get ready for, find and keep work. The team aim to help local residents find the education, training or employment they are most suited to. Work East Ren also supports employers with recruitment, work placements and experience, and accessing funding and support.
To find out more, visit: www.workeastren.co.uk/
- Parental Support Fund
MART and Work East Ren work in Partnership to deliver the Parental Support Fund.
The programme will help in meeting the increasing challenge of in-work poverty, targeting support to help parents already in jobs support through the provision of training and employability support to remain active in the workplace and gain progression through a rewarding career. The team will also provide confidential income and money advice support.
To find out more call 0141 577 8438 or email Naomi.Nicol@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
- Adult Learning
The Adult Learning Team offer a range of learning opportunities for adults in East Renfrewshire. Courses can help you gain new skills or qualifications, get a new job, go to college or just build confidence with existing skills you already have.
To find out more, visit: www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/adultlearning
- Education
Clothing grants, free school meals and Education Maintenance are available in all our schools for eligible families.
Back to School Bank East Renfrewshire provides brand new school uniforms to families affected by financial hardship. To find out more, visit: www.facebook.com/backtoschoolbankeastrenfrewshire/
Free school meal and clothing Grants check eligibility at https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/free-school-meals
Children who are entitled free school meal pupils can access a food pack if they are off school due to Covid19 call us on 0141 577 3575
- Housing
Our Housing Team aims to offer effective and relevant housing advice and to help residents make informed choices about which option is best for their budget and circumstances.
To find out more, visit: https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/housing-options
- Free Sanitary Products
Up to 25% of women have had difficulties accessing sanitary products at some point due to financial constraints. To challenge this we’ve made a variety of sanitary products available in buildings including schools and health centres, Citizens Advice Bureau, Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire and housing associations. These products are available to everyone, regardless of their financial position.
- Prevention Services
The Prevention Team aims to protect people from personal and financial harm through doorstep crime, nuisance calls and online fraud.
To find out more and use our guide to avoiding scams, visit: https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2022/Scam-prevention
- Citizen’s Advice Bureau
CAB can help with debt and money advice, completion of benefit application and appeal forms, benefit appeal representation. They also run the Patient Advice Service, Armed Services Advice Project, Helping East Renfrewshire Online (HERO) service, employment advice and assistance with homelessness/evictions.
The team is working from home with advice available over the phone. You can contact CAB on 0141 881 2032 or visit: www.cas.org.uk/bureaux/east-renfrewshire-citizens-advice-bureau where you will find direct mobile numbers for specialist advisers.
- Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland is the national skills body. They offer careers advice and guidance. Whether it’s for someone looking for their first job, a new career, or even if they don’t know what they want, the team’s career coaching is entirely free. SDS also offer and skills-related support for employers.
For more information, visit: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/
- Fair Start Scotland
The Fair Start team can provide tailor-made support for 12 – 18 months to anyone living in East Renfrewshire who is not working or in education. Despite pausing face-to-face to contact, Fair Start is available over the phone, on email and through text messages.
Fair Start can also support employers with recruitment needs. Get in touch with Fair Start by phoning 0300 303 3381 or visit: www.thewisegroup.co.uk/fairstart/
- Community Food Projects
Throughout the pandemic we have seen a wave of community-led food projects start up to ensure nobody in our communities goes without. If you would like to find out more about the nearest food projects to you such as shopping services and the Food Train, contact the Community Hub Monday to Friday 10am – 3pm on 0141 876 9555 or by emailing hello@va-er.org.uk.
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of foodbanks and together provide emergency food and support for people in crisis. The East Renfrewshire Foodbank is based at 14 Lowndes Street, Barrhead. It is open on Tuesdays at 12pm-2pm and Fridays at 2pm-4pm.
www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/east-renfrewshire-foodbank
- Job Centre Plus
Jobcentre Plus is an employment agency and social security office. Here you can claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support. Barrhead and Newlands Job Centres can be used by East Renfrewshire residents. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus
- Home Energy Scotland
If you need help to stay warm, make best use of energy and save money on fuel bills, contact Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or email adviceteam@sc.homeenergyscotland.org
- Social Security Scotland
Some benefits are provided by an organisation called Social Security Scotland. There are currently eight with more being added to the list in future. Click the links to find out more and how you can apply for them.
- Carer’s Allowance Supplement
- Best Start Grant – Pregnancy and Baby Payment
- Best Start Grant – Early Learning Payment
- Best Start Grant – School Age Payment
- Best Start Foods
- Funeral Support Payment
- Young Carer Grant
- Job Start Payment
- Scottish Child Payment
If you are unsure about what you are entitled to, you can contact the Council’s Money Advice and Rights Team or CAB. They can help with anything you need to know about benefits and grant eligibility, health-related issues, redundancy, retirement and pensions, death and bereavement, housing, children, cold weather and winter fuel payments.
Call MART 0141 577 8420 or email mart@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
CAB 0141 881 2032
The Scottish Government’s website provides information on other benefits and grants not listed above. To find out more, visit: www.mygov.scot/benefits
Full details on East Renfrewshire’s Covid response can be found at :
https://covid.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/home
If you have any comments or suggestions for challenging poverty in East Renfrewshire we’d like to hear about them. You can contact us on listening@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
Help available
Level 4 restrictions COVID -19
As of 6pm Friday 20th November East Renfrewshire will move to Level 4 restrictions. If you received a letter about PE please ignore the section about indoor PE as this will not be taking place. All PE will only be outdoors.
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