Single Parent FAQs: Christmas period

If you are due to get your benefits on boxing day then you should receive them on the 23^rd of December. You can find more information on Christmas and New Year payment dates here.

Each area has different help available some places that may help local churches, toy banks, community groups, it is useful seeing what is available locally. If you can’t find anywhere locally get in touch and see if we can find anywhere locally.

Home Energy Scotland can give advice for people worried about energy costs.

You could also see if you would qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme which is £150 paid to your energy account. See here for more information and to see if you are eligible.

At One Parent Families Scotland we have an online forum that you can connect with single parent’s.

In Scotland cold weather payments are being replaced by The Winter Heating Payment which will provide a reliable, annual £50 payment, automatically through Social Security Scotland, to anyone who qualifies. Payments for winter 2022 will start to be made from February 2023. More information can be found on the Social Security Scotland website.

Christmas time is about spending quality time with your families, children don’t remember about the present’s they will enjoy spending time with you making memories building indoor dens, watching movies with a hot chocolate and playing games.

See more tips that we collated.

If you do not have enough money to live on while you wait for your first payment of Universal Credit you can ask for a Universal Credit Advance. This is a loan you need to pay back. It will be deducted from your next 24 Universal Credit payments. You can find more information and how to apply here.