If you need financial support or welfare advice

We can help if you, or someone you know needs financial support or welfare advice. Below is a list of Council support services to help you if you need support. 

Scottish Welfare Fund

If you’re on a lower income and do not have any savings, you can apply online for a welfare/crisis grant. This can help you meet ongoing difficulties and one-off costs.

Find out about the Scottish Welfare Fund or call 0131 529 5299

Discretionary Housing Payment 

You may be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment if

• your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing costs do not cover your rent and
• you’re having difficulty paying the shortfall.

Find out more about welfare reform or call 0131 608 1111

Free school meals, milk and school clothing grants 

You may be eligible for free school meals, payments for lunches during school holidays, free school milk and help to buy school clothes. If you need help or advice, speak to your child’s school.

Find out about free school meals, milk and school clothing grants.

Housing Benefit and paying your Council Tax 

If you’re on a lower income and have savings of less than £16,000, you may be eligible for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.

Find out more about Housing Benefits or call 0131 608 1111.

If you’re finding it hard to pay your Council Tax contact us as early as possible. If you do, we can find more ways to help you pay.

Email incomeandbenefits@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 608 1111.

Covid Self-Isolation grant

You may be eligible for a £500 self-isolation grant if NHS Test and Protect has told you to self-isolate and

• you currently receive low income benefits and
• will lose income as you must self-isolate.

Apply online for the Covid Self-Isolation grant

If you can't apply online call 0131 469 2922.  This phone line only for applications when you cannot apply online.

Advice Shop 

Our Advice Shop gives welfare advice on things like benefits, tax credits and grants, and personal debt advice. We can help you manage Council Tax debt. If you have a general Council Tax question call 0131 608 1111.

We also work with Macmillan to help people get support with the extra costs if they have a cancer diagnosis.

Find out about the Advice Shop, call  0131 200 2360 or email advice.shop@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Social Care Direct 

The team work with a variety of services and professionals and are the first point of contact for any social care queries you might have, including illness, frailty, disability or concerns about safety.

Find out about Social Care Direct, You can also email socialcaredirect@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 200 2324.

In an emergency or out of hours (evening, weekends and public holidays) call 0800 731 6969.

Our customer teams in the community

If you need help with any of these services, you can also visit one of our local offices. Our offices are open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4.15pm and Friday from 9am to 4pm.

North East office

North West office

South East office

South West office