Who we are

We can help North Lanarkshire residents with welfare benefits and money advice. Our team includes a combination of welfare rights staff and debt advisers.

What we do

We provide a variety of support, including:

• general benefit advice about all UK and Scottish government-administered benefits
• advice about tax credits administered by HMRC
• carrying out benefit checks to ensure income is maximised
• help to complete benefit application forms
• support to challenge benefit decisions                              
• advice and representation at benefit appeals                                             
• redundancy advice

Benefit checks

We can carry out free and confidential benefit checks to ensure that you are receiving your full and correct benefit entitlement.

Benefit applications/form completion

When you apply for benefits, we can help you complete the application forms. We can also help you complete reviews for an existing benefit reward.

Challenging decisions

If you have been unsuccessful in applying for a benefit or are unhappy about a benefit decision you have received we are able to assist you through the process of challenging the decision. 

You can request that a decision be looked at again - this is known as a 'mandatory reconsideration'. You need to ask the DWP or Social Security Scotland for a mandatory reconsideration or redetermination within one month of the date of your decision and you must provide reasons as to why you are asking for the reconsideration.

If you are still unhappy following the mandatory reconsideration or redetermination outcome you can make an appeal, which must be lodged within one month of the date of the reconsideration or redetermination outcome, directly to either HM Courts and Tribunals Service or the Social Security Chamber Scotland.

Representation

We provide representation at Appeal hearings and our Welfare Rights Officers will assist you in preparing for your appeal as well as attending the hearing with you to represent you. 

If you require representation at an appeal it is important that you give us as much notice as possible for us to provide you with the best service possible.