Referral Partners directory

We are an advice service with a specialism in assisting people with Learning Disabilities, Autism and support needs. We are accredited to the Scottish National Standards for Advice services.

We help: parent carers living in Edinburgh; people who get their support from The Action Group; people who are supported by the All in Edinburgh employability service and FUSE; and tenants of Almond Housing Association.

Benefits Advice: We can make sure you are getting all of the benefits that you are entitled to; provide information you need to make informed choices about which benefits are best for you and how changes in your life might affect these benefits (for example, starting work); help you challenge decisions including representing you at First-tier and Upper Tribunals.

Passported Benefits: We can give you information about any other entitlements you are eligible for e.g. a blue badge.

Wider support and wellbeing: We can connect you to other sources of support that can help you.   For example: Money Advice, grants and help with managing energy bills.

Carer support and advice: We can provide information and support at different times in your loved-one’s life: from early months and years, to starting school, leaving school, leaving home and beyond; support you through difficult times; connect you with other sources of support (like funding, activities, parent carer support groups and wellbeing support) that could make life a bit easier; provide information on statutory services that could help (like Housing, Education and Social Work).

Contact: If you would like our help, please get in touch. You can call us on 0131 475 2315 (and ask for a member of the advice service) or email advice@actiongroup.org.uk.   Please let us know if there is anything you need that will make the service feel safe and accessible for you.

The Advice Shop provides information and advice regarding every aspect of welfare benefits and debt matters. We offer advice by phone, email and a walk-in service at 249 High Street. We provide both one off advice and a full casework service. People receiving a casework service may be assisted to apply for grants and other financial support.  

Contact: Call our advice line: 0131 200 2360. Or, email us at advice.shop@edinburgh.gov.uk   

CHAI is a registered Scottish charity providing free and independent advice to people affected by housing, debt and benefit issues in Edinburgh and Midlothian. We provide face to face appointments/telephone or online.

Contact: Please contact us by calling 0131 442 2100 or email chai@chaiedinburgh.org.uk

The Affordable Warmth Services Team provide free and impartial advice and support to householders who are in or at risk of fuel poverty, to enable people to live in affordable, warm homes.

We help householders to access emergency funds, grants, and discounts i.e., the Warm Homes Discount scheme or emergency top up vouchers for electricity and gas plus solid fuel, oil and LPG. We work with householders to understand their electricity, heating and/or gas bills and manage energy debt, know how to save energy in the home, including how to use their heating system, read their meters, develop confidence to talk with their energy supplier, advocate with energy suppliers and the Ombudsman on billing/metering issues and to tackle fuel debt and maximise their income through benefit checks. Clients can be referred by a third party (with their consent) or can self-refer.

Contact: Our local Affordable Warmth advisors are available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. Call 0800 870 8800 free or email warmth@changeworks.org.uk or complete our online form. For more information on our services please visit changeworks.org.uk

Citizens Advice Edinburgh provides free, confidential, independent and impartial advice on a huge range of issues. These include (but are not limited to) debt and money advice, benefits, immigration, employment, housing, consumer and legal rights. We run 5 bureaux offices at Dundas Street, Leith, Muirhouse, Portobello and Gorgie/Dalry as well as a range of outreach locations. Citizens Advice Edinburgh also provides advice by phone and email.

Contact: 0131 510 5510 or submit an enquiry through our website.

The Community One Stop Shop (COSS) is situated in the heart of Broomhouse, Edinburgh, an area affected by poverty and deprivation. Our overall aim is to alleviate the effects of poverty and support people through times of crisis. We provide the following services: Advice, Employability, Food Bank, Pantry, Ancillary Services and Outreach.

Contact: 0131 443 6223

FAIR is a specialist charity that provides an information and advice service for people with learning disabilities, their parents, carers and people who work with them in Edinburgh.   

The charity’s object and its principal activity is to promote the welfare of people with learning disabilities in the community. FAIR achieves this objective through: Provision of a one-to-one accessible advice service which includes welfare rights and financial capability; an Easy Read service to make information accessible; distributing an Easy Read Newsletter every 2 months, and a co-production and consultation role with key stakeholders to advocate for people with a learning disability and their carers. We are accredited by the Scottish Government for the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers.  

Contact: To make a referral to FAIR or to get in touch call 0131 662 1962 or email fair@fairadvice.org.uk. You can also download our referral form.

Granton Information Centre (GIC) was established in 1984. Through the provision of free, confidential advice, advocacy and representation services, we aim to assist with benefit issues, new claims and appeals and address financial pressures for individuals and families residing in North West and North East Edinburgh. We also deal with housing issues for homeowners and tenants in the private rented sector across Edinburgh, particularly those threatened with repossession actions for mortgage and rent arrears and those experiencing other debt issues that may put their home at risk.  The main issues we deal with at GIC are welfare benefits advice, debt/money advice, general housing and charitable grants/foodbanks referrals. All advice given by GIC advisers is strictly confidential and by appointment only.  

Contact: 0131 551 2459 / 0131 552 0458

The Salvation Army Debt Advice Service is a free, confidential, and impartial money advice service with three centres across the City of Edinburgh. We are regulated by the FCA. For face-to-face appointments we have a centre in Gorgie, Granton and Newington.  

Contact: We take referrals through our mailbox edinburghcitydas@salvationarmy.org.uk or telephone 07741905796.  

Access to Industry works with individuals to support them into education and employment. We believe that our work delivers real transformative change, assisting individuals to overcome personal difficulties that impede their progress. We do this through programmes and courses that provide one-to-one support, group-work, tutored classes and work experience. Our aim is to facilitate access to further and higher education, training and employment. Our programmes and courses develop essential core skills such as communication, ICT (Information and Communications Technology) and problem solving. We offer individual support that aims to alleviate wider personal barriers.

Contact: For more information on how to be referred, call Tel. 0131 260 9721 or email mail@accesstoindustry.co.uk

We’re a not-for-profit organisation specialising in helping people find jobs and careers they love. We work hard every day to help people realise their potential. We want people to lead happier, healthier lives. Having skills for the modern workplace and holding down a good, stable job plays a huge part in that. We design, develop and deliver innovative services to enhance people’s careers, support employers to be more productive and help local communities to flourish.

Contact: workwithus@fedcapemployment.org

LinkLiving is a trauma-informed Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people of all ages to overcome the negative impacts of trauma, mental health, inequality, and isolation.

Our Link Academy is a SQA accredited training centre which provides a wide range of SCQF qualifications, personal development and employability support that can help people to develop the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to secure employment. LinkLiving defines employability as the attitude, behaviour, knowledge, and skills a person needs to get a job, maintain that job and do the job well.   The dedicated team works with people to improve their self-confidence, teach life skills and useful coping strategies to support their mental health.  

Contact: People can refer themselves or via a third party organisation, please contact lareception@linkgroup.org.uk for more information or go to our website.

The Citadel Youth Centre has been at the heart of the Leith community since 1980. We provide opportunities for fun, friendship and support for children and young people aged 6 to 21 and their families, including open youth clubs, small groups and 1:1 support. Our family support includes a dedicated Young (under 21) Mums and Babies Group, peer support groups for parents/carers of Citadel children (aged 6 to 15) and an outreach family support service in three local primary schools (Leith PS, Trinity PS, Victoria PS). We accept referrals directly from parents/carers, as well as from schools, social workers and other professionals. However, please note that we can only offer support for parents/carers whose children attend the Citadel or one of our three partner primary schools.

LinkLiving Edinburgh Young Persons’ Service (LL EYPS) supports those aged 16-25 to make positive changes in their lives. Many of the young people LinkLiving work with have been affected by or at risk of homelessness, family breakdowns, trauma, disadvantage, mental health problems, neglect, or alcohol or drug abuse. LL EYPS work with these young people to find stability and independence by learning how to maintain a tenancy, engage with work or volunteering, improve wellbeing and relationships, and plan for their future. Young people can refer themselves or be referred by any worker.

Contact: Please email enquiries@linkliving.org.uk or go to our website for more info.

Maximise! is a family advice and support project delivered in partnership by CHAI and Children 1st offering a holistic model of advice, employability, and family wellbeing support to parents, children and young people experiencing the effects of poverty. Maximise! takes a child-centred, family minded approach to tackling poverty and works to improve families’ financial resilience and health and wellbeing, as well as increasing children’s positive participation in school life, thereby reducing the attainment gap that exists between higher and lower income families.

Partnership is at the heart of the project and we aim to work flexibly and collaboratively with our Maximise families and with our many stakeholders which include schools, Early Years Centres, Social Work teams, Housing and other Council Departments as well as a wide variety of statutory and third sector organisations. We are currently funded to work with families with school age children in Edinburgh and with families attending specific Early Years Centres in the city.

Contact: For further enquiries or to make a referral to Maximise! Please email: maximise@children1st.org.uk or call us on 0131 442 2100 (CHAI)

Being a family member of a murder victim is traumatic. You are likely to be experiencing a range of emotional reactions and physical symptoms, worried about the future and how you will cope emotionally and/or financially, and you may not be sure who to turn to. You may have practical questions in the first days or weeks following on from the murder. You may need support before and during a court case or access to specialist trauma or counselling services. Victim Support Scotland is here to help you.

Victim Support Scotland’s specialised SFBC team are on hand to support families and next of kin with immediate practical tasks including access to financial assistance, contacting organisations, and arranging a funeral. We provide timely, consistent information when you need it. We will listen to you when you need to talk and provide links to specialist services such as counselling or trauma therapy. Our support will help you navigate the legal justice system, so you know what to expect and ensure you are aware of your rights. We offer support through a range of digital methods, over the phone, and through face-to-face meetings in a location which is convenient for you. We are a national service and will travel Scotland-wide to provide support.

Contact: To contact our service directly please email sfbc@victimsupportsco.org.uk or you can call Victim Support Scotland's national helpline on 0800 160 1985 (8am-8pm, Mon-Fri)

Forensic mental health social work is a specialist area of social work which involves working with those with mental health problems who have come to the attention of the criminal justice system or present or are subject to significant risk. The team based in the Orchard Clinic at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital work closely with the forensic service to support and manage individuals who are inpatients in high, medium or low secure psychiatric settings, as well as those who are residing in the community. The service works in partnership with other agencies and professionals to balance public protection with promoting quality of life for the individuals we work with in their mental health recovery journey. Referrals to the forensic social work service come via the NHS forensic services.

Feniks is a grassroots charitable organisation set up in 2007 to support the Central Eastern European community in Edinburgh and Scotland. Our aim is to address health inequalities, promote integration and support the well-being and human rights of CEE communities. We provide culturally sensitive psychological support; community groups; advice and advocacy; immigration advice limited to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Contact: Phone: +44 (0)131 629 1881 / info@feniks.org.uk

Health All Round is a registered charity and voluntary sector agency which aims to support people living in Gorgie Dalry, Saughton, Stenhouse and surrounding areas of Edinburgh to live longer, healthier lives. Using a community development approach, we provide services focusing on physical, social and emotional wellbeing and aim to build social capital and reduce inequalities within the city of Edinburgh. Our services include, mental health support, support with chronic pain, support with exercise and diet, older people services, link workers and support for the Polish community. Individuals can self-refer to Health All Round with only the Community Link Worker service requiring a medical practice referral.  

Contact: Details of how to register for services can be found online on our website. Tel 0131 337 1376, email info@healthallround.org.uk

LGBT Health and Wellbeing have been promoting the health, wellbeing and equality of the LGBTQ+ community in Edinburgh and beyond for over 20 years. We offer a wide range of services including mental wellbeing support, the Lothian Trans Support Project, counselling, therapeutic groups, a Scotland-wide telephone helpline and a range of social events including community-led groups, ‘Rainbow Families’ get-togethers and activities for older LGBTQ+ people. Our vision is of a society where LGBTQ+ people are no longer marginalised, health inequalities are eradicated and all LGBTQ+ people are able to flourish and thrive.

Contact: LGBT helpline 0300 123 2523

Based in the heart of North Edinburgh, we are Scotland’s oldest health project and have served local people and their families since 1984. We work alongside local people to improve their own health and wellbeing and in turn create a happier, more resilient community. We are a responsive, dedicated and committed team of community development workers, sessional workers, and volunteers. We work with a strengths-based approach, supporting and developing the strengths inside someone – like knowledge and experience. This way of working means we do things with people, not to people. Our relationships are built on trust, respect and honesty. Everyone is treated with dignity, our work actively supports and empowers people, enabling them to take control of their own lives, and protects their rights. We work flexibly and creatively with positivity, enthusiasm and commitment.

Contact: email admin@pchp.org.uk

The aim of the service is to ensure that our tenants have access to appropriate advice in a timely manner. We aim to ensure that incomes are maximised, through budgeting advice and information on appropriate financial products. We will provide advice on the full range of debt solutions, thus promoting increased financial capability. We will further maximise incomes through appropriate support and assistance with all aspects of welfare benefits entitlement and applications. We will help sustain tenancies through the provision of advice on, and assistance to access, support services across a range of health and dependency issues. We will assist tenants to source furniture and floor coverings to ensure their tenancy is habitable. We will contact all new tenants to ensure they have all the necessary information required to sustain their tenancies. We promote empowerment by encouraging tenants to fully participate in the process.

Hillcrest Homes is a registered social landlord based in Dundee with tenancies in Scotland. Hillcrest Futures provides supported accommodation to a range of individuals throughout Scotland. Lyndsey and Alison are two of the Edinburgh-based team for the TSS service of Hillcrest Homes. Lyndsey and Alison focus on helping all new Hillcrest and existing tenants with SWF/CCG for furniture, carry out benefit checks, assist tenants to claim benefit entitlements and challenge benefit decisions. Existing tenants can request help with benefit checks, help to claim, help with rent arrears issues, challenge benefit decisions, grant applications and referrals to the heat team. They can also make referrals to smaller Hillcrest funds to help tenants, helping households and other help available to access items. Lyndsey and Alison offer appointments face to face, over the phone, or other digital platforms to communicate for the ease of the customer.   Both have a wealth of experience and knowledge about the benefits system and help available to tenants.  

Contact: 0300 123 2640

Prospect Community Housing is a non-profit making, charitable registered social landlord, providing good quality low cost homes to rent in the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh. Our Vision Statement is ‘Providing Homes and Building Communities Together’. As part of the service to our tenants we offer a free Welfare Rights Advice service providing advice and representation with benefits issues, grant applications and income maximisation. We also partner with CHAI so that our tenants have access to free and impartial money/debt advice. This is part of our tenancy sustainment programme, enabling our tenants to manage their tenancies and improve their standard of living.

We support people out of homelessness for good. We do this through education, training and support with housing, employment and health. We offer one to one support, advice and courses for homeless people. Every bit of our work is integrated, and all contributes to our purpose of ending homelessness. The services we provide are carefully informed through our decades of experience of working with homeless people, and the research we've carried out over the years. Our research is driven by our knowledge from working side-by-side with homeless people every day. And this influences our campaigning for permanent change.

Contact: Please call us on 0131 209 7700 or email us at edinburgh@crisis.org.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible, so we can arrange the support you need in the way that will keep you safe.

At Cyrenians, we tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness. We understand that there are many routes into homelessness, and that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to supporting people towards more positive and stable futures. That’s why all our work is values-led and relationships-based. We deliver over 50 projects, all working towards our vision of an inclusive society in which we all have the opportunity to live valued and fulfilling lives. Our mission to support people excluded from family, home, work, and community enables us to engage with people at any point on their life journey.  

Contact: find out more about our work on the Cyrenians About us webpage.

Our Visiting Support service can provide housing support for up to a year to people in the South West of the city. Our team of practitioners, supported by a senior practitioner and service manager, offer person-centred support to people who may be at risk of becoming homeless. This can be due to rent arrears; not having benefits in place or the right benefits; health issues; unemployment; relationship breakdowns; you need to move to a more suitable home; or have to move due to violence, abuse or any other issues you face which are impacting on you managing your home. People who live in City of Edinburgh Council shared houses can also access drop-in sessions run by our staff. Our workers can provide housing advice; benefits advice; support to find other support services; or support to find social activity groups, courses or employability services. Staff can also help you register for health services or refer you to social work for assessment if you have a longer-term need.  

Contact: To request a referral form or for more information please contact referrals@foursquare.org.uk Tel: 0131 285 1227.

Your Home is a programme in Edinburgh which is part of Scotland-wide charity Right There.

The Your Home team gives one-to-one support in the community to people experiencing homelessness, or who are worried about losing their home. Support ranges from housing options for individuals and families, to debt and home repair help.

Contact: To access Your Home support, email yourhome@rightthere.org or call 01316039815

We are Scotland’s youth homelessness charity. Our aim is to end youth homelessness in Scotland by ensuring that every young person has access to expert youth specific services to assist them to avoid, survive and move on from homelessness. We advise, educate and support young people to enable them to build the personal skills and resources required to make a positive and healthy transition to adulthood. We also work to ensure that the public, policy makers, commissioners and practitioners understand the issues, make decisions and take action which will end youth homelessness.

Contact: Open Monday – Friday, 08:45 – 17:00. Ph: 0345 222 1425, 0131 557 4059

hello@rocktrust.org

YourHome Housing Support is a partnership between Right There and Sacro, providing tailored and confidential support to people who are homeless or in danger of losing their home. The service also provides mediation, groupwork and preventative support to help people avoid a housing crisis. YourHome provides support to find, set up and and continue to live in suitable accommodation. The service can help people to avoid eviction or loss of accommodation as well as providing support in temporary accommodation.

Contact: 0131 603 9815 / yourhome@rightthere.org.uk

Our Edinburgh Support Hub is open every day to support those facing extremely difficult circumstances. We provide practical and emotional support and advice as well as access to amenities like phones and internet access. Through our work with partners we are able to provide a number of specialist drop-ins including medical care, housing advice, welfare rights advice, harm reduction advice and immigration advice relating to the EU Settlement Scheme. We are open  Monday to Friday 8:45am-7:45pm and 9:15am-4:45pm on weekends.  

Contact: For more information, call freephone number 0808 178 2323. This number is manned 24/7.

Dunedin Harbour Hostel provides temporary supported accommodation to homeless people. The service aims to support clients with a range of needs relating to preparing people to maintain tenancies long term, including working on accessing appropriate housing, health issues and addiction problems.

The Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO) service is a multi-disciplinary court mandated service which covers Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian.  The service is an intensive community-based court disposal, which requires regular assessment and reporting to the court. The DTTO provides support to individuals who are involved in offending behaviour mainly due to their drug use. We support clients to access clinical, emotional, and practical supports with the aim of reducing or eliminating an individual’s drug use and drug related offending.   

Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle is a community group participating in the UK government's Community Sponsorship scheme, resettling refugee families in the local area.

MECOPP was established as a Company Limited by Guarantee in December 1999 and as an independent charity in January 2000. The organisation evolved in direct response to the difficulties experienced by Minority Ethnic carers, resident in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, in accessing traditional mainstream carer support services. We support BME carers and carers with one or protected characteristics  with multilingual advice and information, recreational, social and therapeutic activities, advocacy and casework support.

In addition to a range of direct carers support services delivered primarily in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, Perth & Kinross and Argyll & Bute,  MECOPP also provides a complementary service to its statutory and mainstream voluntary sector partners through input into policy, service and workforce development at both a local and Scottish national level.

Contact Info@mecopp.org.uk

Shakti Women’s Aid helps BME women, children, and young people experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic abuse from a partner, ex-partner, and/ or other members of the household. We help women to stay as safe as possible, whether they decide to stay with or leave whoever is abusing them. We give advice and information about options and choices, and issues which may affect BME women. These include forced marriage, female genital mutilation, immigration rights, and ‘honour-based abuse’ from family, household and community. We help women and their children find a safe place to stay (temporary refuge) while they decide what to do. All our staff are women.

Contact: 0131 475 2399 / info@shaktiedinburgh.co.uk