Grove Academy - Financial Support for Families
We have put together a handy resource which we hope will help provide support for families experiencing financial hardship.
If you are in receipt of Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance - Income Based, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit (where take home pay is less than £726 per month), Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Child Tax Credit with an income of less than £18,725 (as assessed by HMRC), you may be entitled to receive a grant towards the cost of buying essential clothing to enable children up to the age of 16 to attend school.
Grants are paid directly into your bank account. If you do not have a bank account we will contact you to discuss other payment options.
The current value of a Clothing Grant is £150 per secondary school child.
Apply here: School Clothing Grants | Dundee City Council
From Primary 6 onwards parents will need to apply for free school meals. Free school meals are available to all pupils whose parents receive Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance - Income Based, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit where take home pay is less than £726 per month, Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Child Tax Credit ONLY with an income of less than £18,725, or BOTH Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with an income less than £8,717 (as assessed by HMRC).
Apply here: School Meals | Dundee City Council
EMA provides financial support for 16 – 19 year olds who stay on in full time non advanced education or a community/voluntary Activity programme after their statutory school leaving date. EMA is a weekly allowance of £30 payable to eligible young people who have achieved 100% attendance per week. It is payable in arrears, generally on a 2-weekly basis.
Apply here: Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) 2022/23 | Dundee City Council
Scottish Child Payment helps towards the costs of supporting your family. It's a weekly payment of £25 that you can get for every child you look after who's under 16 years of age. You'll get the payment every 4 weeks if your application is successful. Scottish Child Payment is one of the 5 family payments you may be able to get from Social Security Scotland, along with Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.
It's up to you what you choose to spend the money on.
Apply here: How to apply - mygov.scot
Job Start Payment is a cash payment of £252.50; £404 for a young person with children. It is available to those between the ages of 16 and 24 who have been out of paid work and receiving a low-income benefit for six months prior to finding employment.
Apply here: How to apply - mygov.scot
Young Carer Grant is a yearly payment of £359.65 for young carers in Scotland. To be able to get Young Carer Grant, you must be 16, 17 or 18 years old.
Apply here: Young Carer Grant - mygov.scot
This provides grants to help families with children (aged 21 and younger) who are suffering extreme hardship. This includes the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The usual grant is £50 per child.
Apply here: Aberlour UAF
Advice and guidance on how to improve finances.
Apply here: Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper
Can help to provide emergency food for three days, can direct you to your nearest foodbank and can help you search for financial grants which you may be entitled to.
More information: Find a Food Bank - The Trussell Trust
The Scottish Welfare Fund was introduced on 1st April 2013 as part of changes to the UK Government’s Social Fund scheme. As a result of these changes, crisis loans and community care grants which were formerly managed by the Department of Work and Pensions have now stopped. The new replacement fund consists of crisis grants and community care grants and will be delivered locally by Dundee City Council based on guidance from the Scottish Government.
Crisis Grants can provide you with a safety net in the event of a disaster or emergency.
Community Care Grants can help you to leave care and live on your own, or to continue living in your own home.
Apply here: Crisis and Community Care Grants - Scottish Welfare Fund | Dundee City Council
Free period products are available from Grove Academy toilets and from our medical room. For those who are unable to access these, please use the link below to order products to be delivered to your home address. This is only available to those who have confirmed that they are unable to access these in another way and who are a current resident of Dundee. If more than one person in the household is unable to access, please complete a form for each person.
Apply here: Free Period Products | Dundee City Council
The ILF Transition Fund helps young people (age 16-25) living with disabilities, with the transition after leaving school or children’s services to be more independent and continue spending time with other people.
Apply here: About us | ILF Scotland
Universal Credit (UC) is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions and aims to make the welfare system simpler by replacing six benefits and tax credits with a single monthly payment. Universal Credit applies to claimants of working age only.
If you are currently receiving one of the above benefits, there are certain changes in your household circumstances that can trigger a new claim for UC.
Apply here: Universal Credit: What Universal Credit is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Welfare Rights Team can help Dundee residents sort out a wide range of benefit and tax credit problems. We can identify what benefits you may be entitled to, assess the merits of your case if you want to challenge a decision, and represent you at tribunal if you have a case. We can also give advice about debts, and help you in various ways if you owe money and are having problems paying it back.
Apply here: Welfare Rights | Dundee City Council
They exist to help people in debt, support money advisers, and influence policy. Their main mission is to be the driving force towards financial wellbeing for the people of Scotland.
Apply here: Brooksbank Money Advice | Money Advice Scotland