The renewed funding will enable Glen Oaks to continue delivering its well‑established, holistic advice service, providing free income maximisation, welfare rights and debt advice to tenants and local residents.

Services are delivered primarily face‑to‑face from Glen Oaks’ community office, with additional outreach provided in partnership with the Carnwadric WIN Project and Carnwadric Church and Foodbank, ensuring advice is available in trusted, familiar and accessible community settings.

Glen Oaks’ welfare rights advice service has been operating for over a decade and is now delivered entirely in‑house, working closely with customer services colleagues to provide early intervention and preventative support.

This integrated approach plays a crucial role in sustaining tenancies, improving financial wellbeing, and preventing homelessness during a time of unprecedented pressure on household finances.

In 2025/26, the service has delivered significant impact, securing over £1.6 million in financial gains for clients, many of whom fall within the Scottish Government’s recognised “priority family” groups. These include lone parents, young mothers, families with disabled adults or children, minority ethnic households, and families with three or more children.

Delivering advice through community‑based partners such as the WIN Project and Carnwadric Foodbank has been particularly effective in reaching individuals who may never have sought advice before, helping to reduce stigma and barriers to access.

Glen Oaks also works in partnership with StepChange, an FCA‑accredited debt advice provider, ensuring that clients who require regulated debt solutions receive specialist support alongside Glen Oaks’ in‑house wraparound assistance.

Commenting on the funding award, Kirsty Chalmers, customer services director, said: “We are delighted to receive continued Scottish Government support through the AIAS programme. This funding recognises the importance of delivering advice in accessible, community‑based settings where people already feel safe and supported.

“Working alongside partners such as the WIN Project and Carnwadric Church and Foodbank allows us to reach those most in need and provide support at the earliest possible stage.”

Glen Oaks Housing Association also extended its thanks the Scottish Government for its continued investment in the Advice in Accessible Settings programme, as well as colleagues at AdviceUK, whose ongoing support and stewardship of the fund play a vital role in enabling services such as this to operate and thrive.

Glen Oaks looks forward to building on the success of the service over the next three years, strengthening local partnerships, sharing learning across the sector, and continuing to support residents to improve their financial resilience and sustain their homes.