If you have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) but need support for your children, you and your family are far from alone.
Close to 750,000 children across the UK live under the same condition.
Families and their children are locked out of benefits like the Child Tax Credit, the Working Tax Credit, and most childcare support, while also unable to rely on informal family help due to the high costs of the visa system. This leaves many parents unable to work, children growing up without access to things many of us take for granted, and families forced towards poverty and destitution through no fault of their own.
Local authorities across Scotland have a clear legal duty to safeguard and promote the well-being of every child, regardless of their or their parents’ immigration status. If you and your family face a crisis and your children are considered “in need”, then you may be able to receive support from your local authority under Section 22 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. The threshold of need to access this support is particular and high.
See below for a variety of resources that may help you with advice, advocacy, or emergency essentials.
The Aberlour Urgent Assistance Fund provides immediate, emergency cash grants to families with children across Scotland who are suffering extreme financial hardship, helping with essential items such as food, clothing, utilities, and bedding.
The fund is particularly focused on aiding single-parent households and families facing disability-related challenges.
You can reach them in the following ways:
AberNecessities provides disadvantaged families with necessities that no child should go without.
They do not work directly with families; a professional from the NHS, Social Care, or the Education system must apply on their behalf. This webpage provides families with information on how to access support from AberNecessities, starting with a consultation with their healthcare professionals.
You can reach them in the following ways:
Aberdeen Priory Families service provides holistic, needs-led support for children, young people, and their families in Aberdeen. It takes a whole-family approach, working with other agencies to build resilience, promote stability, address complex issues such as antisocial behaviour, and reduce the need for statutory involvement.
You can reach them in the following ways:
The Adamson Trust is a Perthshire-based charity that funds holidays and respite breaks for disabled children aged 3-17. Its grants help cover costs for individual families or organised groups, including other charities.
The average holiday grant is between £200 and £250.
You can reach them in the following ways
Social Security Scotland provides a prepaid card every 4 weeks to help you buy healthy foods during pregnancy and when your child is under 3.
Basic eligibility includes: being responsible for at least one child under 3, living in Scotland, and having a monthly family income below a set threshold.
When applying, tell Social Security Scotland that you have no access to public funds. You will need to provide supporting documents, which may include a Home Office letter, bank statements, or your child’s birth certificate.
You can reach Social Security Scotland in the following ways:
Phone: 0800 182 2222
Children First’s Supportline offers emotional, practical, and financial help to parents, carers, and families across Scotland. Whether you are concerned about family finances, child development, behaviour, mental health, or need a friendly voice, their team is available to listen and support you.
The service also provides specialist support for kinship families. If you have concerns about a child’s well-being, the Supportline can advise you on what to do.
You can reach them in the following ways:
The Family Fund provides a wide range of grants to low-income families living in Scotland who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young adult. This includes grants for essential items and also has a specific scheme for sensory toys and equipment, delivered through their partner organisation, Learning SPACE.
For detailed information, the full application process, and income thresholds, you will need to explore the main Family Fund website further from this page.
You can reach them in the following ways:
Home-Start-trained volunteers work alongside parents to provide practical and emotional support to families with children aged 0-5 in Aberdeen, including those with NRPF status.
Their support includes home visits, perinatal mental health initiatives, and weekly infant play groups.
You can reach them in the following ways:
This interactive tool helps individuals, advisers, and local authorities understand what support may be available for families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). By answering a series of questions about a person’s immigration status and circumstances, you will receive tailored guidance on potential options.
The guidance generated is based on English legislation (with references to the equivalents in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). It does not guarantee that help will be provided.
The NRPF Network hosts the tool; you can reach them in the following ways:
Email: [email protected]
One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) is a national charity dedicated to enabling single-parent families in Scotland to achieve their potential, reach a decent standard of living, and overcome challenges like isolation, poverty, and stigma.
They provide a range of tailored, direct services, including welfare rights and money advice, family support, mental health and wellbeing support, programmes to support training, education, and employment, and services to reduce digital exclusion. Their work is informed by the lived experience of single parents.
You can reach them for advice and support in the following ways:
Home-Start offers services in the North East outside of Aberdeen; support capacity ranges and is generally lower than in Aberdeen City.
Support can include home visits, perinatal mental health initiatives, and weekly infant play groups.
All are listed below:
The Scottish Government provides a free box of essential items for all newborn babies in Scotland. The box contains clothes (newborn up to 6 months), a mattress and bedding, a digital thermometer, bath and room thermometers, a bath towel, a changing mat, and books.
You may be eligible if you are registered with a midwife and living in Scotland. This includes people with No Recourse to Public Funds.
Your midwife will complete a registration card with you at your 18-20 week or 28 week appointment. The box will be delivered to you between 4 weeks before your due date and your due date. You do not need to do anything else.
This service provides dedicated case management to newly arrived pregnant women, single parents, and families with children (aged 18 or under) who are navigating the asylum process in Scotland.
Staff offer comprehensive support, including helping families understand their rights, connect with legal services, access health and welfare services, apply for financial assistance, enrol in English language classes and education, address issues with accommodation, and advocate on their behalf with authorities
You can access the service in the following ways:
SERENITI is a registered charity in Scotland and a faith-based organisation that provides family support services to promote emotional wellbeing, offering hope and compassion and relieving the needs of parent-carers and families experiencing stress or financial hardship due to their caring responsibilities.
Their services include a parents’ cafe, a musical therapy playgroup, 1:1 emotional support, and inclusive activities for children.
You can reach them in the following ways:
Variety Scotland provides life-changing practical support to disabled and disadvantaged children and young people, which includes organising Great Days Out and providing grants for essential equipment.
The charity focuses on addressing the link between disability and poverty, with its practical support designed to make an immediate difference and help children reach their full potential.
You can reach them in the following ways:
The Young Patients Family Fund is a Scottish Government scheme that reimburses the costs of travel, parking, accommodation, and daily food and drink for parents, primary carers, and siblings under 18 visiting a young inpatient under 18 in a Scottish hospital.
Claims must be made within three months of discharge and require a claim form signed by a hospital medical professional, which can be downloaded online or collected from the hospital and then submitted to the hospital’s cash office or the relevant NHS Board.