CPAG in Scotland Families with Disabled Children Project

The Families with Disabled Children Project in Scotland aims to enable disabled children and their families to get all the benefits and tax credits to which they are entitled.

Background

Around 65,000 children in Scotland have a disability or additional needs, putting them and their families at a higher than average risk of poverty. For many of them the benefits and tax credits system is an important (or the only) source of income. Yet less than half of those children eligible for disability benefits are estimated to be receiving them. For those that do claim, the process can be difficult and confusing.

For more information on the difficulties families face, see Out of Reach: benefits for disabled children published by CPAG with Contact a Family. Its recommendations include the need for support for those working with disabled children and their families, to help them make successful benefit claims.

Training, information and advice

E-bulletin

CPAG in Scotland will soon be starting a new e-bulletin on benefits for disabled children which will provide updates on benefits for those working with families with disabled children. You can sign up to the benefits for disabled children e-bulletin here. Please note, we will not pass your details to anyone outside CPAG, and you can unsubscribe from the e-bulletin at any time.

For non-specialists

We provide basic level training, information and advice to non-specialist frontline workers – particularly those for whom welfare rights is not a speciality – to ensure an understanding of basic entitlements and appropriate referring to specialist advisers. The content and length of these courses can be tailored to the needs of particular organisations, and can be delivered in-house if required.

For specialist advisers

We also offer training and second-tier support to more specialist advisers on any aspect of the benefit and tax credit systems as they affect disabled children and their families. This is done through specialist benefits and tax credits training, information and advice, and by providing casework support via our telephone advice line.

Advice line and other advice services

The CPAG in Scotland telephone advice line for advisers is open Monday to Thursday 10.00am to 12.00 noon. This service provides advisers with advice on benefits and tax credits entitlements including expert legal interpretation, up to date case law, and support with appeals.

If you work in Scotland and advise people on benefits and tax credit issues, our advice service can help you. The advice line number is 0141 552 0552.

We can also provide advice via email and letter. Please email to advice@cpagscotland.org.uk or write to us at CPAG in Scotland, Unit 9, Ladywell, 94 Duke Street, Glasgow G4 0UW.

For further information about the Families with Disabled Children Project please contact:
David Kelly
tel: 0141 552 3545 dkelly@cpagscotland.org.uk

CPAG in Scotland, Unit 9, Ladywell, 94 Duke Street, Glasgow, G4 0UW. Tel: 0141 552 3303 staff@cpagscotland.org.uk

This project is funded by the Scottish Government.