Support coping with rising living costs

Money

Worrying about Money? - Midlothian leaflet

Midlothian Council has linked up with Independent Food Aid Network UK to produce a new leaflet with advice for people who are struggling to make ends meet. The Worrying about Money leaflet sets out how and where to get help and advice in Midlothian. It can be viewed online or downloaded now at:

Printed copies are also available free in local libraries.

Emergency grants

  • Scottish Welfare Fund
    About the fund, and apply online or call 0131 270 5600
    Crisis Grants - for emergencies when you have no other means.
    Community Care Grant - to provide a safe + secure home when you have no other means.

Welfare Rights Team

Midlothian Council - 0131 270 8922. Benefit advice for social work clients, people over pension age, people with cancer or their carers, and people who need help appealing a DWP decision.

Revenues Advice:

Our Revenues Advisors can provide support and guidance about a range of benefits and grants, including the following:

  • Scottish Welfare Fund
  • Discretionary Housing Payment
  • Council Tax
  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Housing Rent

Contact the Revenues team on:

  • 0131 271 3201
  • revenues.enquiries@midlothian.gov.uk

Citizens Advice (CAB)

CAB drop-ins

Social Security Scotland  

Social Security Scotland staff can provide advice and support in a local venue or at home by phone, video or face-to-face.

Contact freephone 0800 182 2222 and ask for a local appointment.

Benefits from Social Security Scotland

Find out about the benefits available and how to apply

Five Family Payments

  • Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment – one off payment of up to £754.65 from 24 weeks in pregnancy up until a baby turns 6 months for families who get certain benefits.
  • Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment – one off payment of £314.45 when a child is between two and three years and six months for families who get certain benefits.
  • Best Start Grant School Age Payment – one off payment of £314.45 when a child would normally start primary one for families who get certain benefits.
  • Best Start Foods – a pre-paid card from pregnancy up to when a child turns three for families on certain benefits to help buy healthy food
  • Scottish Child Payment - £106.80 every four weeks to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who get certain benefits

Disability Benefits

  • Adult Disability Payment - a payment to help people with long-term illness or a disability that affects their everyday life. It replaces Personal Independence Payment for people in Scotland previously delivered by the DWP.
  • Child Disability Payment - a payment to help with the cost of caring for a child with a disability or health condition. It replaces Disability Living Allowance for children in Scotland, previously delivered by the DWP.

Carer's Benefits

  • Carer’s Allowance Supplement – an automatic payment made twice a year to people who get Carer’s Allowance through the DWP on certain dates each year.
  • Young Carer Grant – an annual payment of £383.75 for people 16, 17 or 18 who care for people who get a disability benefit for an average of 16 hours a week or more.
  • Carer Support Payment - money to help you if you’re a carer. You can get paid £81.90 a week if you’re eligible.

Heating Benefits

  • Child Winter Heating Payment - a £251.50 payment to help families of a child on the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for Children to heat their homes.
  • Winter Heating Payment - A yearly payment to help people on low income benefits who might have extra heating needs during the winter. The payment for winter 2024/25 is £58.75.

Other Benefits

  • Funeral Support Payment – money towards the costs of a funeral, for people on certain benefits who are responsible for paying for a funeral.
  • Job Start Payment – £314.45 for 16 to 24 year olds who have been on certain benefits for six months or more to help with the costs of starting a job.

Capital Credit Union  

  • Dalkeith Library: Credit Union - every first and third Tuesday of the month 10am – 1pm

Help paying for childcare

Advice on benefits, housing, employment

Free bus travel

You could be eligible for free or discounted travel to get around Scotland if you are:

Find out more about national entitlement cards/ bus passes

  • The Dial-A-Bus Service, operated by the charity HcL Transport, runs a door-to-door service for passengers with mobility issues and for those in remote areas who lack public transport options. Since February 2024 all passengers with a concessionary bus pass are able to travel for free. The service operates from Tuesdays to Fridays across Midlothian, connecting passengers to local amenities and essential services.  

Find out more about the Dial-A-Bus Service

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is:

  • for students from low-income families, who are in full-time education after the statutory school leaving age.
  • for students attending full time and part time non-advanced college education
  • a means tested weekly allowance based on school attendance.

£30 per week, paid fortnightly into the student's bank account. Payments are only made when students have 100% weekly attendance.

Free school meals and clothing grants

We provide children from low income families with free school meals and money towards buying school clothes. People over 16 staying on at school and living on their own can also apply.

Funeral costs

  • Funeral Support Payment – money towards the costs of a funeral, for people on certain benefits who are responsible for paying for a funeral.

 

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