PARENTS are being urged to find out if they are missing out on unclaimed benefits as part of a new anti-poverty project.

Linwood High has launched a pilot as part of the school’s financial inclusion strategy, which involves three income advisors helping families navigate the welfare system.

A similar project rolled out last year to four schools in Glasgow led to parents claiming more than £700,000 in unclaimed benefits they did not know they were entitled to.

Jen Nelson, teacher and lead for Linwood High’s financial inclusion strategy, hopes the introduction of income advisors at the school will lead to similar results for families in Renfrewshire.

She told The Gazette: “Parents will phone or have a virtual meeting with one of our income advisors, as they can’t come into the school right now because of the Covid mitigations.

“The income advisor will take details such as household income and how many people are living in their home, which will all be completely confidential.

“They will then run an income check using this information to see if there are any other pots of money that could be accessed to support families in the area.”

The pilot project is being organised jointly between the Linwood High’s support service and the Advice Works service at Renfrewshire Council.

Ms Nelson added: “Even though both parents in a household might be working, the family can still be in poverty.

“I think some people are very unsure about what they are entitled to or there’s sometimes a bit of stigma and people are embarrassed to ask for help.

“We’re hoping to encourage families to have an income check to find out if they are entitled to something that they don’t know about.”

If the school’s pilot is successful, it is hoped that the project will be expanded to other schools in Renfrewshire.

Jen said: “I would like to thank Murdo Macdonald from Bellahouston Academy, Sharon Graham from GEMAP and Gary Devin from Glasgow City Council who all took the time to talk me though the pilot scheme so I could understand the process.”

For more information about getting an income check, contact Ms Nelson by calling 0300 300 1333.