The programme was funded by the Scottish Legal Aid Board

Shelter Scotland’s second-tier advice service, ScotWRAS (Scottish Welfare Reform Advisory Service), will close on 31 March 2023, after 10 years providing support to the NHS, health organisations and other charities.  

The project, which was funded by the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB), was built from scratch by Shelter Scotland and provided support for over 1,200 enquiries per year.  

The Scotland-wide service included telephone, email and information sessions, providing free expert advice and guidance to frontline workers to help them support their clients with welfare rights, housing problems or underlying money and debt issues, with a focus on helping people keep their homes.   

Assistant director of Shelter Scotland, Gillian Reid-McKee, said: “We are incredibly proud of everything that we have achieved over the last 10 years, providing a highly valued service for professionals across Scotland which has undoubtedly improved awareness of people’s housing and welfare rights, ensuring they have been defended with confidence and integrity."   

Following the closure of ScotWRAS, information and advice can be found online.