Information and Advice

If you are having difficulty in paying your rent, please contact us immediately.

Hawthorn Housing Co-operative staff can:

Set up a realistic, affordable repayment arrangement based on your income/outgoings to enable you to pay rent and any arrears you may have.
Make you an appointment with our Financial Inclusion Officers to obtain expert help and advice including assistance with claiming housing benefit and check your entitlement to any other benefits to maximise your income.

Facing Eviction due to Rent Arrears

If you have rent arrears and are at risk of losing your home, the following agencies can assist you to obtain legal advice prior to and whilst your case is in court:

Legal Services Agency - the LSA can provide you with good legal advice if you are facing court action for eviction. You can download a copy of their booklet Preventing Eviction for Rent Arrears or contact them on 0141 353 3354.

Shelter (Scotland) - 0800 800 4444 (Calls are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks Virgin, Orange, 3, T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2) https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/

Financial Inclusion Officer – Agnes Cole

Agnes Cole

The Co-operative has a money adviser in the office on a Monday and Tuesday all day. Agnes can offer help and advice to Hawthorn residents in the following areas:

Income support
Benefit reviews
Housing & council tax benefit
Utility (i.e. gas, electricity) debts
'In work' benefits checks
Budgeting advice
Social fund loans
General money problems
Debt Advice
Benefit Appeals

If you would like to speak to the Financial Inclusion Officer, please call 0141 336 2138 and speak to a member of staff who will make an appointment for you.

Financial Capability Services

My name is Maureen McGowan and I am a Financial Inclusion Officer with Greater Easterhouse Money Advice Project (GEMAP), a registered charity.

Hawthorn Housing Co-operative along with 3 other Landlords in the North of Glasgow have secured grant funding from the Scottish Government to pay GEMAP to offer a Financial Inclusion Service to their tenants and members of their households.

My role is different from Welfare Rights Advice service offered by the Financial Inclusion Office, Agnes Cole, on a Monday and Tuesday. My aim is to assist you in maximising your income, help you deal with any problems such as paying household bills, help you access bank and credit union accounts, help you make the most of the income you have by providing advice on budgeting and dealing with debts. I can also help you identify routes into employment. I aim to be in Hawthorns office on a Friday but I can be available other days of the week too. To find out how Hawthorn’s new Financial Inclusion Service might be able to help you please contact the Co-operative's office on 0141 336 2138 to make an appointment.

Support Officer Service

My name is Morag Boland and I am the Support Officer for Simon Community Scotland which is a homeless organisation. The aim of the Simon Community is to combat the causes and effects of homelessness. Hawthorn Housing Co-operative is working in partnership with four other social Landlords in North Glasgow, financied by a grant from the Scottish Government, in order to allow me to deliver Support Services to their tenants.

The aim of the Support Officer Service is to prevent homelessness and support households at risk of losing their accommodation helping tenants to manage and maintain their tenancy. If you feel you would benefit from our support then please speak with your Housing Officer about referring you to our service. If you would like more information on the service we provide then pick up a service brochure at Hawthorn’s office or download from the Simon Community website.

Citizens Advice Bureau

The Scottish CAB network provides free, unbiased financial advice. They offer free practical help for people who need money advice, whatever their financial circumstances. If you are struggling to make ends meet and you need financial help and support you can access assistance via the local Citizens Advice Bureau at Possilpark Library, 127 Allander Street, Possilpark, G22 5JJ. The opening times of your local CAB office are detailed in the table below:

Glasgow - Maryhill CAB - Possilpark Extension, Contact Number: 0141 948 0204

Opening Times
Monday	1.30pm - 4.30pm
Thursday	10am - 12pm

Positive Action in Housing (PAIH)

Multilingual housing advice and information service EU migrants and people from ethnic minorities.

Positive Action in Housing (PAIH) offer a free, independent and multilingual housing advice and information service for refugees, asylum seekers, EU migrants and people from ethnic minorities.

Drop-in surgeries are held at their offices in the City Centre. These offer general advice and are available on the below times and days:

Session	Day	Time
Destitution	Tuesdays	2pm - 4pm
Welfare rights/money	Wednesdays	10am - 12pm
Syrian Community Drop In	Wednesdays	10.30am - 12pm
Housing Surgery	Wednesdays	2pm - 4pm
Destitution	Thursdays	10am - 12pm
EU Migrants	Thursdays	2pm - 4pm

Positive Action in Housing, 6th Floor, 98 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 1PJ (Press 9 at door).
Telephone: 0141 353 2220, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., website: www.paih.org

PAIH also produce the Scottish Ethnic Minorities Directory which lists hundreds of local and national Black/Minority Ethnic (BME), Refugee and New Migrants groups, organisations and services.

GAIN (Glasgow's Advice and Information Network)

Find out about….

GAIN is a network of agencies that give free, confidential and impartial advice. GAIN includes voluntary agencies, citizen’s advice bureaux, legal, housing and independent money advice agencies. Visit the GAIN website or call the Helpline to find your local agency or service.

GAIN can give advice on a wide range of financial issues including debt, money management, benefits advice, and housing issues as well as providing free legal advice. We can help you find the best solution for your current situation.

The GAIN Helpline is a Freephone helpline for people living and/or working in Glasgow. GAIN Helpline advisers will give you initial advice (including a full benefit check if appropriate) and refer you to a GAIN agency for more in depth advice if required.

For free advice call the GAIN Helpline on 0808 801 1011, Mon to Fri 9am – 8pm and Sat 10am - 2pm

For more information go to the GAIN Website