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Information about how we can support you in your tenancy, and where you can access further advice and support

Help, support and info for you

Financial difficulties - how we can help

Meet the Tenancy Support Team

Universal Credit

Discretionary Housing Payment and Housing Benefit

Warm and Well

Health and Wellbeing

Digital Support

Ageing Well

Financial difficulties - how we can help

A close-up of a hand holding several British coins

We appreciate that at times Tenants may have difficulty paying rent or dealing with other household expenses. We have a range of support available to help you through difficult times. The most important thing is to get in touch with us as soon as possible if you think you’re going to be in difficulty.

Get in touch with us by calling 01750 724444 / Freephone 0800 0193 222 or by emailing enquiries@sbha.org.uk and ask to speak to a member of the team in confidence.

We can help you with:

Benefits support, including helping you to identify benefits you may be eligible for, and helping you to apply
Helping you to appeal benefits decisions
Support with Universal Credit, including helping you to apply
Helping you to agree payment plans with creditors if you are in debt
Support with money management and budgeting

Meet the Tenancy Support Team

Debbie Mzee

Debbie Mzee, our Welfare Benefits Officer has a wealth of experience in helping Tenants navigate the benefits system. She can help you with identifying any Benefits you may be entitled to, and can also help you to apply. She can also help if you need to ask for a Benefits decision to be looked at again.

Barry Wood

Barry Wood is our Financial Inclusion Officer. He works with Tenants to help them manage their budgets, finding ways for them to cut back and make their money go further. He can also help you to agree payment levels with creditors to allow you to pay off debts in a more manageable way.

Jane Blair

Jane is our Tenancy Support Officer. She works jointly alongside Housing Officers and the Financial Inclusion Team to support any new and existing Tenants to succeed in their tenancies. This might include help setting up home, applying for benefits and grants, accessing other support agencies such as Social Care and Health, and managing the condition of the home including help with hoarding.

Universal Credit

What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit (UC) is a one-off payment designed to replace a number of other benefits, and is designed for people of working age who are on a low income or out of work.

Universal Credit replaces the following benefits:

Housing Benefit

Income Support

Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance

Income Related Employment Support Allowance

Child Tax Credits

Working Tax Credits

In Scotland, you can arrange to have the Housing Element of Universal Credit paid direct to your landlord. You can also arrange to have your Universal Credit paid every 2 weeks, rather than every 4.

You will need to let the Department of Work and Pensions know if you wish to do either of these things. Because it can take up to six weeks to receive your first payment when you first make a claim, you need to let your landlord know that you have made a claim, so that they understand why your rent may be late.

You will need to apply for Universal Credit and administer your account online, and you will need a bank or building society account for the benefit to be paid into.

For comprehensive information and access to the online application form, see the Department of Work and Pensions’ Universal Credit pages.

How can I prepare for Universal Credit?

Think about:

How you would manage to make a claim on-line – where you can go if you don’t have your own computer, or if you need to build up your digital skills if you haven't been online before. Find out more in our Digital Support section below.

How you will manage when the benefits that Universal Credit is replacing are paid to you as one payment on a monthly basis.

How you will manage until you have received your first monthly payment (it will probably be a longer gap between payments than you have been used to – and the first payment will be one month and 7 days or one month and 14 days after your claim).

How you will manage when you have to pay your rent to your landlord yourself.

Opening a bank or credit union account. “Basic” bank accounts don’t allow you to overdraw but still charge for unmet direct debits (if there’s not enough money in the account when they come out).

What information do I need to make a claim?

In order to make your claim, you will need to be able to provide your:

Postcode

Email address (you will need to administer your account online)

The type of accommodation that you live in (e.g. Housing Association property)

National Insurance number

Details of bank, building society, sort code and account number (you will need an account for the money to be paid into)

Landlord’s name and address

Details of rent and what is included in rent breakdown

Details of rent-free weeks

Details of any earnings

Details of any income not from work

Details of savings

Details of any other benefits that you receive

IMPORTANT: The online claim form asks “Do you pay rent?” This means “Are you liable to pay rent?” – the answer will always be YES if you /your partner have a tenancy, even if you’ve not actually been paying us any rent because you’ve been getting Housing Benefit to pay it.

IMPORTANT: The online claim form asks how much rent you pay. This is the full “eligible rent”– not the shortfall you’ve been paying if you’ve been getting part Housing Benefit. Ask us if you’re not sure what this is.

IMPORTANT: If you answer these questions incorrectly then you might not get all (or any) of the help with your rent included in your Universal Credit award!

Many of the online claim questions have a box next to them saying “What does this mean?” It’s a good idea to click on these even if you think you know what the question means, just to be certain.

If you need any help, ring the helpline number 0345 6000723 or ask us for assistance .

Discretionary Housing Payment

If you are on a low income, you may be entitled to Housing Benefit to help pay your rent.

What is DHP?

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) provide financial support to help with rent or housing costs. You can apply for a DHP if you currently get either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and need more financial support with housing costs

Our specially trained Welfare Benefits Officer, Debbie Mzee, can provide you with free and impartial support on a range of benefits you may be entitled to, including Housing Benefit. Debbie will help you claim for these benefits, assist you to fill in forms and help you understand benefit decisions. For more information email Debbie or call 01750 724444 to request an appointment.

Warm and Well

Matt Rorison (left) and Terry Brown are our Warm and Well Team, who work to help Tenants heat their homes more affordably.

They do this by:

Helping you to get the best from your heating system by ensuring that that it’s set up to be used in the most efficient way
Helping you to clear fuel bill arrears, and helping to ensure that you're on the best tariff for your needs
If you’re on a prepayment meter and are struggling to top-up, we can apply on your behalf for fuel bank vouchers
Advising on insulation

Health and Wellbeing

Worrying about things like the cost of living can impact your mental and physical health. It’s important to know what help and support is available to you and people you care about.

Talk to someone about your worries

We know that anxiety around money and other things can have a big impact on your mental health and wellbeing. That’s why it’s so important to reach out for help if you’re struggling. Here’s a list of organisations you can get in touch with for help:

There are a number of services available in the Scottish Borders to help support adults who have mental illness or mental health problems and you can find a guide to them at https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/adults-older-people/mental-health . Access to most of these services is by a referral from your GP.

Housing and support services are available through Penumbra https://penumbra.org.uk/ and SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) - https://www.samh.org.uk/

Age UK helps millions of over-60s every year, providing support, companionship and advice on age-related health conditions, tips and advice on staying fit and healthy, as well as information on dealing with health services and leaving hospital. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/

The Mix Counselling Service offers help with mental health and emotional wellbeing for those aged 25 and under https://www.themix.org.uk/get-support/speak-to-our-team/the-mix-counselling-service

Andy’s Man Club runs weekly, free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups for men aged 18+ https://andysmanclub.co.uk/

Samaritans offers listening and support services to people and communities in times of need https://www.samaritans.org/scotland/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Mind is a charity providing mental health information and support https://www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/using-this-tool/

Eat well

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. Here are some ways to eat well on a budget:

Learn to cook – You can cook is an organisation that provides workshops as well as lots of recipes and how to videos YOU CAN COOK | Recipes

Grow your own indoor or outdoor veggie garden – there’s advice from the Royal Horticultural Society on growing your own food Grow your own fruit, vegetables & herbs / RHS Gardening

Look for community larders in your area that you may be able to access and other schemes that stop fresh produce from going to waste.

Do something you enjoy

Spending time doing something you enjoy can improve your mental health and wellbeing. Here are some low-cost or free things you might want to consider doing in your spare time:

Grow your own indoor or outdoor veggie garden – there’s advice from the Royal Horticultural Society on growing your own food Grow your own fruit, vegetables & herbs / RHS Gardening

Spend time in nature — in your own backyard or a local park

See what books your local library has to offer – learn how to knit, get recipe ideas or immerse yourself in a novel. Find out more here - Our Library Services - Enjoy Great Days - Live Borders UK

Check your local charity shops for second-hand board games or books

Go to free community events – check out https://www.liveborders.org.uk/whats-on/ website or Eventbrite for upcoming events

Volunteer – by giving your time you're making a difference to others and you’re also doing something that's good for you. Whether you're looking for a regular commitment or you've a few hours to spare check out Volunteer Scotland for opportunities - https://volunteer.scot/

Visit local museums and art galleries https://www.liveborders.org.uk/culture/museums/our-museums/

Practice meditation and mindfulness

Learn a foreign language or sign language

Have a read of the NHS’s ‘Top tips to improve your mental wellbeing’ https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/top-tips-to-improve-your-mental-wellbeing/

Keep fit on a budget

Regular exercise can work wonders for your mental wellbeing as well as your physical health. Here are some free or low-cost fitness options:

Go walking, jogging, running, or cycling around your local parks and nature reserves.

Find free workout or yoga videos such as the online fitness classes on YouTube run by Joe Wicks. There are also free workout apps like FitOn

If you have children, head to a public playground or have a game of football in your local park

Try the NHS’s Couch to 5K running plan for absolute beginners

See if there are any free yoga sessions on in your area

Keep a lookout for second-hand gym equipment on sites like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and Preloved or in charity shops.

If you suffer from depression and haven’t exercised for a long time or are concerned about the effects of exercise on your body or health, speak to your GP. While you are there ask your GP about the Live Borders Referral Programme. Depending on your situation, you may be offered an exercise programme at a reduced cost.

https://www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/media/460688/exercise-referral-brochure.pdf

Free Days Out in the Scottish Borders

Check out these guides for free and low-cost days out.

Join a Park Run. It’s a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or just watch! Find your nearest parkrun https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Discover scenic and traffic-free cycling routes right across the Scottish Borders https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ or use the walking routes in your area.

Look at the range of things to do on Visit Scotland and find free options https://www.visitscotland.com/places-to-go/scottish-borders

Digital Support

If you do not have access to the internet, you can use public access computers and get help to complete any benefits claim at your nearest:

Library - Our libraries near you - Enjoy Great Days - Live Borders UK. Public access computers are available in all libraries with free Internet access. Don’t worry if you are not a member of the library service, you can join or register as a guest member. Just look in and speak to a member of staff at your local library. If you are new to computing, libraries also offer free basic computer courses. Just ask staff at your local library for details.
Jobcentre Plus office - find your local office here
SBC Contact Centre - Contact centres | Scottish Borders Council
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) office - Citizens Advice Scotland
You can also find your nearest Public Access Computer from www.scotborders.gov.uk/findit

Bring along your tablet or smartphone

You can also get help completing benefits claims using your own tablet or phone at any of the above offices or libraries. Just bring your device along and where possible a member of staff will be able to provide assistance.

Ageing Well

Help with money

Health and Wellbeing

Support in your home

Borders Care and Repair provides an adaptation and handyperson service. Call 01750 724 895 or email careandrepairenquiries@eildon.org.uk

Support for people living with dementia

Dementia UK offers information and advice about dementia and Alzheimer’s. Call the Dementia Helpline for free on 0800 888 6678 for support from dedicated dementia specialist Admiral Nurses. The Helpline is open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on Saturday to Sunday.

Age UK offers a full range of advice and support through their dedicated advice line. Visit www.ageuk.org.uk/services/age-uk-advice-line to find out more or call 0800 678 1602 to speak to an advisor.