Paying bills

Rent

It is important to keep your rent payments up to date. If you are having problems paying your rent, speak to your landlord as soon as possible.

If you are a South Lanarkshire Council tenant, contact your local housing office who will be able to help, for example, by:

• reaching an agreement with you for paying any money you owe
• helping you find easier ways to pay
• checking if you qualify for any benefits, such as Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction

You can also check if you are entitled to Housing Benefit by using our online benefits calculator.

If you already receive Housing Benefit, it is important that you report any changes in your circumstances immediately as you will have to pay back any overpayment if you are paid too much Housing Benefit.

If you are a South Lanarkshire Council tenant and have lost Housing Benefit because of the under occupancy rules, you can contact the our Rent Income Support Team. If you have another landlord contact them or your local housing office for advice.

Mortgage

If you can’t pay the mortgage, you may qualify for help to reduce the payments in the short term or help from a number of Government schemes. Contact Money Matters or Citizens Advice for assistance.

Threatened with homelessness

If you are threatened with homelessness because you are struggling to pay your rent or mortgage, seek help from Housing or from Shelter Scotland.  

If you need somewhere to stay and our offices are closed, contact our homelessness service using the contact details shown on this page. 

Council Tax

People on low income with savings of less than £16,000 may qualify for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Remember single people qualify for 25% discount and some groups, for example full time students, are exempt from council tax altogether. Further information on the range of exemptions and discounts available can be found on our You and your household pages.

Gas and electricity bills

Keeping warm in winter is one of the biggest challenges for people on low incomes. Speak to your supplier or contact Citizen’s Advice or Money Matters if bills come in that you can’t pay. There is also help available from the Home Energy Scotland helpline . Home Energy Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government, provides clear and impartial advice to help Scots make their homes cheaper to heat. The Home Energy Scotland hotline is the gateway to a range of additional services available in South Lanarkshire.

Pensioners qualify for winter fuel allowances and payments may also be triggered for people on benefits when the weather has been exceptionally cold. See the Citizens Advice Guide for more information.

Insurance

If you are a South Lanarkshire Council tenant, your building insurance is included with your rent. But what about the contents of your home? What would you do if you had a break-in, a fire or flood? You can sign up for the contents insurance we arrange with a major insurance company. Payments depend on the cover you need and are spread over the year.

Transport

Your children can use the National Entitlement Card – Young Scot card - to continue to get discounted rates on public transport when they reach 16. Those 60 plus in Scotland can apply for a pass that entitles them to free bus travel. you can apply online on the NEC website. Remember that where children qualify for free bus travel to school, it’s only provided when they attend the school that serves their catchment area.