Parents’ cash help

Raising awareness of aid

A new campaign has been launched to highlight what financial support is available for parents with children at school.

The ‘ Is your child eligible?’ campaign aims to shine a spotlight on the help parents and their children can receive through several council funded programmes.

The assistance available is far reaching and helps thousands of families in West Lothian each year and aims to help those families who are in need of and entitled to financial support.

Thousands of parents already make use of the assistance on offer but many more are missing out through a lack of awareness.

Among the help on offer is the council’s free school meals programme.

Over 10,000 pupils from P1 to S6 are already eligible and nearly 6000 pupils currently receive School Clothing Grants.

The school clothing grant is £110 for each child of secondary school age and £94 for each child of primary school age at the start of the school session in August.

You can apply for a school clothing grant once in an academic year. Parents and Carers can apply now.

Education Maintenance Allowance is an allowance of £30 per week, depending on household income. Household income is assessed in the same way as for Tax Credits provided by HM Revenue and Customs and students who are estranged from parents or in care of the authority can also be paid.