Supporting Families
Income – Wellbeing – Attainment – Potential
Advice for Families
CHAI supports families in the community by offering advice and information on welfare rights, housing and debt to parents of children. Read more below about the services we offer.
Supporting Growing Families
Growing Families is our early support service for parents and carers with pre-school children, including during pregnancy. CHAI works in partnership with health visitors, midwives, and family nurses to offer practical advice at an important time for your family. Our friendly advisers can help with things like benefits, money worries, housing, and budgeting – making sure you have the support you need as your family grows and your child prepares for nursery or school.
As part of this, we also support young parents working with the Family Nurse Partnership, providing tailored advice alongside your nurse to help you feel more confident and secure.
Ask your midwife, health visitor or family nurse to refer you, or contact us directly to arrange an appointment.
Supporting Ethnically Diverse Families
CHAI offers tailored advice and employability support for ethnically diverse families, helping you navigate challenges you may be facing such as language barriers, immigration issues, financial pressures and social isolation. We work with you and your family to build financial stability, strengthen confidence and support your goals around employment.
Delivered in partnership with local organisations across Edinburgh, our adviser takes time to understand your individual circumstances, helping you access the support and opportunities available, and build your financial resilience at a pace that works for you.
Please contact CHAI for further information. 0131 442 2100.
Supporting parents of young people
At the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People (RHCYP), we provide specialist advice for families affected by a child’s illness or hospitalisation, offering practical and financial support during difficult times. Parents can self-refer to the advice service or be referred by medical staff, support workers, other organisations, family members or friends. Referrals to the service can be made via the CHAI telephone number and email.
Case Studies
Read case studies of our work which illustrate how we can maximise people’s income and resolve benefit problems and other housing and debt issues.
Fighting for what’s fair: securing vital support during serious illness
Tom (a pseudonym), a 16-year-old client undergoing treatment for cancer at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) was referred to our service by Young Lives vs Cancer for support with an Adult Disability Payment (ADP) application.
Despite the significant impact of his treatment on daily living activities, Social Security Scotland initially refused the claim, scoring him just below the required threshold and offering no mobility support. After a six-month wait, this decision came as a huge blow to Tom and his family, who were already under enormous emotional and financial pressure.
CHAI’s welfare adviser then requested a redetermination, submitting further evidence, but this too was rejected. A formal appeal was then lodged, and in the weeks before the tribunal hearing, Tom sadly received confirmation that his cancer had returned. His university plans had to be deferred once again as he prepared for more treatment.
At the hearing, the adviser represented Tom and his family, challenging Social Security Scotland’s continued refusal. The panel overturned the decision and awarded Tom Enhanced Living and Standard Mobility components of ADP, backdated to September 2023. The total award is worth
approximately £15,000 and will be reviewed in 2025.
Tom’s Mum said:
“I just want to say thank you for fighting with our son (and us all) until he got his ADP award. You have been amazing through it all and fought hard on the tribunal hearing day – we are truly grateful.”.
Supporting a Reunited Family to Thrive
Ibrahim (a pseudonym) was referred to CHAI by a concerned teacher after recently being reunited with his wife and children, who had just arrived in Edinburgh from overseas. Although working full-time, he was struggling to support his family on his modest income and had no knowledge of the UK benefits system.
The family were living in a one-bedroom council flat — far too small for two adults and three children. Ibrahim had reached out to his housing officer but received no help, leaving him disheartened.
At his first appointment with CHAI, a full benefits check revealed Ibrahim was missing out on key support including Universal Credit, Child Benefit, and the Scottish Child Payment. We submitted the applications together and secured a £150 grant from the Aberlour Urgent Assistance Fund to help the family while they waited.
When Ibrahim received just £6 in his first Universal Credit payment, our Advisor checked his journal and discovered he had missed an appointment to verify his children’s identities.
With our support, he rebooked the appointment and his award was amended to include his children. Ibrahim later said he would never have known to question the payment without CHAI’s help.
Once all claims were processed, the family’s annual income increased by £17,658.76 — a life-changing improvement that helped them meet their basic needs.
On the housing side, Ibrahim believed he had silver priority due to overcrowding, but CHAI discovered his records hadn’t been updated to reflect his family’s arrival.
Once corrected, silver priority was confirmed, significantly improving their chances of being re-housed.
Ibrahim now feels hopeful and supported. With the right financial entitlements in place and improved housing prospects, the family are on firmer ground as they build a new life in Scotland.
