Comhairle Confirms Support Available to Individuals

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has provided a summary of what support is available to individuals who find themselves in hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Universal Credit  

Individuals should Apply for Universal Credit Online (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) as soon as possible. If you have any problems you should contact the local Job Centre on 01851 743663 / 743664. For applications due to COVID19 an advance is available immediately following identity verification.

If they have been paying Class 1 NI contributions for the past 2-3 years they may also be entitled to Job Seeker’s Allowance.

Council Tax Reduction

If your circumstances have changed you may be eligible for the Council Tax Reduction scheme if you are on a low income and have capital under £16,000. Apply for Council Tax Reduction

Scottish Welfare Fund

This provides a safety net in a disaster or emergency, when there is an immediate threat to health or safety.

Apply to the Scottish Welfare Fund

If you can’t access this, you can call 01851 822642.