What does a Welfare Rights advisor do?
Welfare Rights Advisors can provide information on which welfare benefits you might be entitled to, help you apply for benefits, and answer specific questions about your benefits. Some advisors can also help with appealing unsuccessful benefit claims, including representing you at a benefit tribunal. It can be difficult to know where to find a Welfare Rights Advisor, so we’ve put together this short guide to help you find support in your area.
Where can I find a Welfare Rights advisor?
Common places where you can find a welfare rights advisor are your local council, a Citizen’s Advice Bureau or if you live in a Housing Association property; it may have its own Welfare Rights Officer. There are also some independent charities or community hubs which provide Welfare Rights support. If you are an unpaid carer for a disabled person, then you can sometimes receive welfare benefits advice from your local Carer’s centre.
Online Benefit checker tools
Although we would always suggest getting personalised advice from a professional, you can also check what benefits you might be entitled to by using online benefit checker tools, also called benefit calculators. To use these tools, simply answer the questions about your circumstances and income, and the calculator will do the rest. Online benefit checking tools include:
National Charities and Helplines
Age Scotland: provides welfare rights advice over the phone for people aged over 5o
One Parent Families Scotland: for single parent families. Not disability specific
Change Mental Health: for people with mental health conditions and their carers. Advice and support service over the phone/virtually. Face to face appointments in Edinburgh, Inverness and Perth and Kinross.
Revive MS: welfare rights advice for people with Multiple Sclerosis. In person from the office in Glasgow or over the phone/virtual appointments for people throughout Scotland.
Financial Support Service for members of Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland
Epilepsy Scotland: provides welfare benefits advice for people with epilepsy from their Glasgow office, and also nationally over the phone.
The Butterfly Trust: for people with Cystic Fibrosis and their carers. Provides welfare rights support from an Edinburgh based office, and over the phone nationally.
Enable: for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers.
Kidney Care UK: over the phone, virtually and in some community settings. Benefits Entitlement Checks and help to apply for benefits for people with Kidney Disease.
Spinal Injuries Scotland: Legal and Welfare Advice for members of Spinal Injuries Scotland, via the charity’s partner Digby Brown.
Advocacy for Welfare Benefits
Voiceability: can provide advocacy support for any benefit provided by Social Security Scotland, if you identify as disabled
Advocard: for people in Edinburgh with a mental health condition
Networking Key Services (NKS): welfare benefits advocacy mostly for ethnically Asian women but open to all women living in Edinburgh
Kindred Fife: Help to apply for benefits like Child Disability Payment for parents/carers of children with complex needs
Advocacy Orkney: Help to challenge welfare benefits decisions
The Space at the Broomhouse Hub: benefits advocacy for carers in South West Edinburgh
Find your Council area
If you’re not sure which Council area you live in, you can find out here: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council
Aberdeen Advisors
Aberdeen City Council Welfare Rights
Aberdeen Citizens Advice Bureau: central main office with various outreach locations
Aberdeen Foyer- Managing Your Money Service
Aberdeen Care and Repair: provides benefit checks for people living with Dementia and/or mental health conditions
Maggies Centre Aberdeen: for people with cancer and their carers
Macmillan Aberdeen (in partnership with Aberdeen Citizens Advice Bureau): for people with cancer and their carers
Aberdeenshire Advisors
Aberdeenshire Council Welfare Rights
North East Aberdeenshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Peterhead office with outreach at Fraserburgh Job Centre
North West Aberdeenshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Turiff, Huntly and Macduff
South West Aberdeenshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Westhill, Aboyne with outreach in Alford and Kemnay
Kincardine and Mearns Citizens Advice Bureau: Stonehaven, Portlethen, Laurencekirk and Inverbervie
Angus Advisors
Angus Council Welfare Rights Team
Angus Citizens Advice Bureau- Arbroath
Argyll and Bute Advisors
Argyll and Bute Council Welfare Rights
Argyll and Bute Citizens Advice Bureau: Lochgilphead main office with outreach in Campbeltown, Dunoon, Helensburgh & Oban
Bute Advice Centre: Rothesay office with outreach in Dunoon
Clackmannanshire Advisors
Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Alloa
Council on Disability: charity based in Stirling but also serves Clackmannan
Central Carers: for unpaid carers of disabled people
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles) Advisors
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Council Financial Inclusion officers can provide help with benefits:
- Kay Mackinnon (Lewis & Harris) can be contacted on 01851 822644 or kay-mackinnon@cne-siar.gov.uk
- Angela MacDonald (Uist & Barra) can be contacted on 01870 602425
Dumfries and Galloway Advisors
Dumfries & Galloway Council Welfare Benefits Advice: Only for people aged 60+
Dumfries & Galloway Citizens Advice Bureau: Offices at Dumfries, Annan and Stranraer. Outreach at St John’s Town of Dalry, Newton Stewart, Lockerbie, Kelloholm, New Galloway, Castle Douglas and the YMCA Centre in Dumfries.
Dumfries & Galloway Carers Centre: for unpaid carers of disabled people
Dundee Advisors
Dundee City Council Welfare Rights Advice
Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau: main office at Dundee Central Library, other outreach locations throughout the city
Lochee Community Hub Benefits and Disability Advice Drop in: Thursday 9.30am-12.30pm.
There is more information on their facebook page.
Dundee Law Centre: assisting people with welfare benefits problems & appeals. Doesn’t provide help with initial benefit applications.
Maggies Centre Dundee: for people with cancer and their carers
East Ayrshire Advisors
East Ayrshire Council Welfare Benefits Advice
East Ayrshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Main office in Kilmarnock with outreach locations in Cunmock, Dalmellington, Drongan, Muirkirk, New Cumnock and Patna.
East Ayrshire Carers Centre: for unpaid carers of disabled people
East Dunbartonshire Advisors
East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Kirkintilloch, Bishopbriggs with outreach locations at Auchinairn, Bearsden, Lennoxtown and Twechar
Edinburgh Advisors
The Advice Shop- Edinburgh Council’s Welfare Rights Service
Edinburgh Citizens Advice Bureau: Offices in central Edinburgh, Leith, Muirhouse and Portobello.
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living
Granton Information Centre: for residents of North West and North East Edinburgh
Community Help and Advice Initiative (CHAI)
Community One Stop Shop Broomhouse
VOCAL: for unpaid carers of disabled people
The Action Group: advice for people with learning disabilities and their parents/carers.
FAIR Edinburgh: advice for people with learning disabilities and their parents/carers.
Macmillan Edinburgh: for people with cancer and their carers
Maggies Centre Edinburgh: for people with cancer and their carers
Change Mental Health: Advice and Support service over the phone, virtually and face to face, for people with mental health conditions and their carers
Number 6 Autism One Stop Shop: for autistic people aged 16+ who don’t have additional learning disabilities.
Milan Senior Welfare: for older people and unpaid carers from South Asian communities
MECOPP: for black and minority ethnic carers in Edinburgh and Lothians
Networking Key Services (NKS): welfare benefits advocacy predominately for ethnically Asian women but open to all Edinburgh women
East Lothian Advisors
East Lothian Council Welfare Rights Advice
Haddington Citizens Advice Bureau
Musselburgh and District Citizens Advice Bureau
Number 6 Autism One Stop Shop: for autistic people aged 16+ who don’t have additional learning disabilities.
Carers of East Lothian: for unpaid carers of disabled people
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living: office in Edinburgh but serves East Lothian
The Action Group: advice for people with learning disabilities and their parents/carers. This includes help with benefit appeals
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire Council Welfare Rights Advice
East Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Barrhead Main Office with outreach at the Clarkston, Thornliebank, Mearns, Greenock, Dunterlie Resource Centre and the Include Me 2 Club.
East Renfrewshire Carers Centre: provides basic advice and information on disability benefits like Adult Disability Payment and Employment Support Allowance
Falkirk Advisors
Falkirk Council Welfare Benefits Advice
Falkirk Citizens Advice Bureau
Denny and Dunipace Citizens Advice Bureau: Main office in Denny with outreach in Larbert
Grangemouth Citizens Advice Bureau
Central Carers: for carers of disabled people
The Action Group: advice for people with learning disabilities and their parents/carers. Includes help with benefit appeals
Forth Valley Maggies Centre: for people with cancer and their carers
Fife Advisors
Fife Citizens Advice Bureau: Cowdenbeath, Cupar, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy and Leven offices. St Andrews outreach.
ENeRGI: benefits advice for people with mental health problems
Fife Law Centre: Benefits Tribunals Support
Fife One Stop Shop: for people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
Macmillan Welfare Benefits Support Fife: for people with cancer and their carers
Maggies Centre Fife: for people with cancer and their carers
Glasgow Advisors
Glasgow’s Advice and Information Network (GAIN): GAIN is a network of agencies that work together to provide advice services across the city including Citizens advice Bureaux and Law Centres
Glasgow City Council: help with benefits appeals and with more complex cases, but not general form filling
Glasgow Central Citizens Advice Bureau
Easterhouse Citizens Advice Bureau
Greater Pollok Citizens Advice Bureau
Bridgeton Citizens Advice Bureau
Glasgow North West Citizens Advice Bureau
Drumchapel Citizens Advice Bureau
Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau
Drumchapel Money Advice Centre: Glasgow North West area
Kingsway Community Connections
Glasgow’s Golden Generation: welfare benefits advice for older people
The Ark: welfare benefits advice for Muslims in Glasgow
Castlemilk Law Centre: for people in South East Glasgow
Con Cunningham Disability and Welfare Rights
Eastend Carers: for carers of disabled people in East Glasgow
Maggie’s Glasgow: for people with cancer and their carers
The Well Multi Cultural Resource Centre: predominately for ethnic minorities in Govanhill but open to all
Epilepsy Scotland: for people with epilepsy. Benefits advice service is based in a Glasgow office, but aims to serve a wider area
Revive MS: For people with Multi Sclerosis. In person or virtual appointments available.
Highland Advisors
Highland Council Welfare Rights Advice
Inverness Citizens Advice Bureau: with outreach at Raigmore Hospital, and in Aviemore
Ross and Cromarty Citizens Advice Bureau: offices at Alness, Dingwall and Tain
East and Central Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureau: Gospie office with outreach in Dornoch, Brora, Helmsdale, Lairg, Bonar Bridge, Pittentrail, Lawson Hospital in Gospie, and Migdale Hospital in Bonar Bridge.
North and West Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureau: Kinlochbervie office
Skye and Lochalsh Citizens Advice Bureau: Portree office
Lochaber Citizens Advice Bureau: Fort William, Kinlochleven and Mallaig
Caithness Citizens Citizens: Thurso with an extension in Wick
Change Mental Health: Advice and support service over the phone, virtually and face to face (Inverness), for people with mental health conditions and their carers
Inverclyde Advisors
Midlothian Advisors
Midlothian Council Welfare Benefits Advice
Midlothian Citizens Advice Bureau Dalkeith & District: with various outreach locations
Midlothian Citizens Advice Bureau Penicuik
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living: main office in Edinburgh but serves people throughout the Lothians
The Action Group: advice for people with learning disabilities and their parents/carers Includes help with benefit appeals
Macmillan Welfare Benefits Advice: for people with cancer and their carers
Number 6 Autism One Stop Shop: For autistic people without additional learning disabilities. Based in Edinburgh but supports people in Midlothian
Moray Advisors
Moray Council Welfare Benefits Help
Moray Citizens Advice Bureau: Elgin main office with other locations in Buckie, Dufftown, Forres, Keith, Lossiemouth, and Tomintoul
North Ayrshire Advisors
North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership
CHAP Welfare Rights Service: Ardrossan
North Lanarkshire Advisors
North Lanarkshire Welfare Rights Service
Citizens Advice Bureau Coatbridge
Citizens Advice Bureau Motherwell & Wishaw
Citizens Advice Bureau Bellshill
Citizens Advice Bureau East Kilbride
Counselling and Benefits in Action (CABIA) Airdrie
North Lanarkshire Disability Forum
Carers Together: can help carers with income maximisation
Maggies Lanarkshire: for people with cancer and their carers
Orkney Islands Advisors
Blide Trust: for people with mental health problems
Perth & Kinross Advisors
Perth and Kinross Council Welfare Rights Advice
Change Mental Health: Advice and Support service over the phone, virtually and face to face, for people with mental health conditions and their carers
Vision PK : Vision PK work in partnership with Perth Citizens Advice Bureau and Perth and Kinross Welfare Rights to offer information, advice and support
Number 3 One stop shop: for adults (16 and over) with a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) who live in the Perth and Kinross region
Loch Leven Health Centre Advice Hub
Macmillan Welfare Rights Service: for people with cancer and their carers
Renfrewshire Advisors
Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau
Renfrewshire Council Welfare Benefits Advice
Renfrewshire Carers: Appointments for carers of disabled people every Tuesday
Revive MS: For people with Multi Sclerosis. In person appointments (if you can travel to Govan) or virtual appointments available for anyone in Scotland.
Scottish Borders Advisors
Central Borders Citizens Advice Bureau: Galashiels office
Roxburgh and Berwickshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Hawick with extensions at Duns, Eyemouth and Kelso
Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau: Peebles office
Macmillan Welfare Benefits Partnership: for people with cancer and their carers
Number 6 Autism One Stop Shop: for autistic people with no additional learning disability
Shetland Islands Advisors
Citizens Advice Shetland: Lerwick
South Ayrshire Advisors
South Ayrshire Council Information and Advice Hub
South Ayrshire Carers: support with budgeting and money matters’ Check if this includes welfare rights advice.
Age Concern Ayr: for those age 55+
South Lanarkshire Advisors
South Lanarkshire Council Welfare Benefits Advice
Lanarkshire Maggies Centre: for people with cancer and their carers
Citizens Advice Bureau Hamilton
Citizens Advice Bureau Clydesdale: Main office in Lanark with outreach in Biggar, Douglas, Forth, Coalburn, Kirkmuirhill and Crawford
Stirling Advisors
Stirling Council Welfare Benefits Advice
Stirling Citizens Advice Bureau: Stirling Main Office with outreach at Balfron Library, Callander Library, Cowie Library, Drymen Library, Fallin Library, Killin Sports Pavillon, Callander Kirk Hall Cafe, Plean Library, Strathblane Library, Aberfoyle Village Hall
Council on Disability Stirling District, Rural Stirling, Hillfoots, Clackmannan, Wider Forth Valley – provide welfare rights support/form filling and appeals help including tribunal representation, also help with blue badges, and UC etc
Stirling Carers Centre: for carers of disabled people
West Dunbartonshire Advisors
West Dunbartonshire Council Welfare Benefits Advice
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau: Dumbarton
Improving Lives Hub: Clydebank
Carers of West Dunbartonshire: for carers of disabled people
West Lothian Advisors
West Lothian Council Advice Shop
Polbeath Community Hub- Council Advice Shop Outreach: every second Thursday
Citizens Advice West Lothian: Livingston main office with outreach at Blackburn, West Calder, Debridge, Broxburn, Carmondean, Whitburn, Polbeath, Linlithgow, Stoneyburn, Fauldhouse, Armadale Food Bank, Kids n Kin, St John’s Hospital
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living: Edinburgh office but provides help for people in West Lothian
Carers of West Lothian- Benefits Advice for Disabled People: not just for carers but for disabled people too
The Action Group: advice for people with learning disabilities and their parents/carers. Includes help with benefit appeals
Number 6 Autism One Stop Shop: for autistic people who don’t have an additional learning disability
Information last updated on 14 January 2025. Please note that information may be subject to change. All information is provided in good faith but Disability Information Scotland does not endorse any product or service referred to within this resource.
If you would like this information guide in another version then please contact us and we will post or email you a copy.
Money, Benefits and Grants:Frequently Asked Questions
Through our helpline we receive enquiries spanning a wide range of different topics. Here is a selection of those most asked:
Can I get a reduction of Vehicle Excise Duty?
If you are disabled you may be entitled to a reduction or exemption of vehicle tax. The vehicle must be registered in your name or a specific driver’s name and must only be used for your personal needs.
You can apply for exemption if you get the:
- higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment – mygov.scot
- War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
You can get a 50% reduction in vehicle tax if you get the Personal Independence Payment or Adult Disability Payment standard rate mobility component Adult Disability Payment – mygov.scot
You can find out more here Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What help is there with energy costs?
Energy costs used to be a worry in winter but now bills can be a challenge all year round.
The good news is there are different grants and schemes available to help people improve the heating in their homes and keep heating costs down.
Home Energy Scotland is a free energy advice service funded by the Scottish Government to help people save money and keep their homes warmer. They offer simple energy saving tips, and know about funding schemes and how to access them.
Their website Home Energy Scotland offers help with finding funding, reducing your bills, making your home warmer and living a greener life. You can call them on 0808 808 2282
Money, Benefits and Grants:Search for Local Organisations
Our quick search tool can connect you to over 3000 service providers, suppliers and organisations supporting people across Scotland. To find support near you, simply enter your search term and select your local authority.
| Organisation | Description |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen Action on Disability Ltd | Promote the integration of all disabled people into the community |
| Aberdeen Citizens Advice Bureau | Provide information to people living in the local area |
| Aberdeenshire South Foodbank | Services provided: The area covered by the ASFB extends from the edge of Aberdeen City west to Braemar and from Strathdon to Portlethen, Stonehaven and Inverbervie. To obtain a food parcel from the Foodbank you must have been referred to them by a fron… |
| Aberdeenshire Support and Advice Team (ASAT) | Provide welfare rights advice |
| About purchasing zero-rated adapted vehicles | Guidance on what you need to know about purchasing adapted vehicles free of VAT if you are disabled |
| ACCESS Angus | ACCESS Angus is the way for Angus citizens to access council services |
| Access to Elected Office Fund | Providing financial support for disabled people standing in Local Authority and Scottish Parliament elections to address impairment-related barriers and disadvantages. |
| Action for Kids Charitable Trust | Provides children & young people with equipment which enables them to have independent movement |
| Action Group | Offer a range of services to people with learning difficulties |
| Adamson Trust | Provide financial assistance for holidays for young disabled people |
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