The Scottish Welfare Fund helps families and people in Scotland who are on low incomes through Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants.

You can apply for a:

• Crisis Grant – if you're in crisis because of a disaster (like a fire or flood), or an emergency (like losing your money or an unexpected expense)
• Community Care Grant – to help you or someone you care for to start to live, or to carry on living, a settled life in the community

You must be 16 or older and on a low income to apply for a Crisis or Community Care Grant.

Local council Christmas and New Year opening times 2018-19

If you're looking to speak to someone about the Scottish Welfare Fund, councils will have the following opening times over the festive period:

Local council	25/12/18 - public holiday	26/12/18 - public holiday	27/12/18	28/12/18	31/12/18	01/01/2019 - public holiday	02/01/2019 - public holiday	03/01/2019
Aberdeen City	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Aberdeenshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Angus	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Argyll and Bute	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Clackmannanshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Dumfries and Galloway	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Dundee	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
East Ayrshire	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open
East Dunbartonshire	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open
East Lothian	Closed	Closed	Open until 2pm	Open until 2pm	Open until 2pm	Closed	Closed	Open
East Renfrewshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open until 2pm	Closed	Closed	Open
Edinburgh	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Eilean Siar	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open
Falkirk	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open
Fife	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed
Glasgow	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open AM only	Closed	Closed	Open
Highland	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Inverclyde	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Midlothian	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Moray	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
North Ayrshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
North Lanarkshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Orkney	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Perth and Kinross	Closed	Closed	Open	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Open
Renfrewshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Scottish Borders	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Shetlands	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed
South Ayshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
South Lanarkshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
Stirling	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
West Dunbartonshire	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open
West Lothian	Closed	Closed	Open	Open	Open	Closed	Closed	Open

Councils closed on days that aren't public holidays will have other help in place. This includes:

• answering machine messages with a contact number for social workers
• contact centre help
• an emergency contact number on their website, so you can still contact their social work department

Further help with money problems

You can also get general advice for your money problems from:

• Scotland's Financial Health Service – find information and advice on debt, managing money, housing, homelessness and ethical lending
• National Debtline – get free, confidential and independent debt advice on 0808 808 4000
• Citizens Advice Scotland – visit your nearest bureau to speak to somebody face-to-face, or call 0845 450 0351
• Shelter Scotland – call the free helpline for housing advice on 0808 800 4444
• Money Advice Scotland – find details of agencies that give independent financial advice

Find out about call charges.