Useful contacts

Last updated: 13/02/2025

Lone Parent Helpline (OPFS)

The Lone Parent Helpline provides free support and advice on anything from dealing with a break-up, moving into work or sorting out child maintenance, benefits or tax credit issues.
An interpreted call service is available. 
Open: Monday – Friday 9.30am – 4pm

Call: 0808 801 0323

Online live chat

Email: advice@opfs.org.uk

 

Universal Credit Helpline

Open: Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm
0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344

More information on Universal Credit

 

Local Council Welfare Rights Worker

All local authorities have a Welfare Rights Team who deal with benefit enquiries. Some will also deal with debt. Contact your local council for details.

Find your local council’s contact details here

 

Find your local Citizens Advice Bureaux

Citizens Advice is a service offering advice and support on many issues including welfare benefits. They have offices across Scotland.

Find your local Citizens Advice Bureaux here

 

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

View Privacy policy

Covering your tracks

You may not want other people to know that you’ve been searching for information or help from OPFS.

When browsing the internet whether on a mobile phone, tablet or computer, you leave a ‘history’ trail of pages and sites you’ve visited.

It’s impossible to completely avoid being tracked online but if you’re worried about someone knowing which sites you’ve been looking at, there are some things you can do to help cover your tracks.

If you’re using a laptop or desktop computer, try keeping another document or website open in a new tab or window while browsing. If someone comes in the room and you don’t want them to see what you’re looking at, you can quickly switch to another window or tab.

Deleting browsing history

You can delete the history of websites you’ve visited, but it’s important to know that if you delete your browsing history, someone else using the same device may notice.

If you share a tablet, mobile phone, laptop or computer with someone, they might notice that passwords or website addresses have disappeared from their history.

Find out how to remove your browsing history and other data from some of the most commonly used browsers:

Browsing in Private mode (incognito)

When browsing ‘incognito’, the internet browser won’t store cookies or record your browsing history on the computer, mobile or tablet.

This option is available on popular web browsers i.e. -

Toolbars

If you use a search toolbar in your web browser, remember that your searched items can be saved as part of your history. Find out how to delete your searched items from the following search engines: