FAMILIES in the north of Glasgow are £2million better off thanks to their landlord.

 

Maryhill Housing Association helped tenants secure grants and state benefits they were entitled to and not claiming, such as the carers' allowance.

The huge amount,which works out at £2,187,541, is mostly made up of cash which people were not claiming in the current financial year.

Advice and assistance was also given to obtain help from schemes like the Warm Home Discount Scheme, Cash for Kids and charitable grants.

Last year the association committed extra resources to its so-called "Financial Inclusion" work by employing four extra people in addition to two existing welfare rights officers.

This was made possible by funding for two posts from the Big Lottery and a further two from the Scottish Legal Aid Board "Making Advice Work" programme.

Tenants are consistently encouraged to approach the housing association on a range of financial matters such as difficulties in paying rent, assistance on energy saving and debt advice.

In many cases if a claim is made it can be backdated for benefits including personal independence payments, housing benefits and discretionary housing payments.

Housing staff said they found that in many cases individuals did not know that they were entitled to benefits such as jobseekers' allowance, pension credit and disability living allowance.

Jennifer Simon, Housing Services Manager at the Association, said: "This remarkable figure of over £2 million shows that a significant number of our tenants have not been claiming a range of benefits to which they are entitled.

"Our financial inclusion service is here to help people and we are delighted with the amount of money we have been able to obtain for them.

"There is very clear evidence that people will not make claims for benefit due to the perception that the process is complex and that claims will be unsuccessful. This is where we have been providing assistance."