Accessibility tools
Powered by 
Translate
Use the boxes below to change the website colours.
Visit disclaimer page for more information about the accessibility tool.
Support is available over the festive period
With Christmas just around the corner, it is easy to forget that the holiday season is not a time of fun and celebration in all households.
People living in our communities continue to struggle through the Cost-of-Living Crisis – and this is often made worse by the social and financial demands of Christmas and New Year.
At this time of year, there can be additional financial pressure on people who are – due to higher household bills – already suffering from financial worries.
Over the coming few weeks, North Ayrshire Council will be running a Christmas social media campaign offering advice and signposting residents to support that is available.
The campaign will run over five weeks and aims to provide residents with useful information that will be available this winter.
It will include topics like:
- financial and food support – including North Ayrshire’s welfare rights and money advice service, which is called Money Smart, and access to fair finance
- the Fairer Food network, which runs larders in communities across North Ayrshire. There is a map of the larders on the network's web page. Each one operates slightly differently
- Keep it Local – supporting your high street, local events and places to visit
- Winter readiness – preparing for winter weather, travel and road safety
- Health and well-being – with access to support services
- Recycling – festive recycling tips and Christmas and New Year bin collection arrangements, which you can read more about on the news section of the Council website.
Quote: We are well aware that many residents find this time of year difficult as increased pressure is put on their finances, and we work with a range of partner organisations to offer different types of financial support. Over the past year alone, the Money Smart team has helped to increase residents’ income by more than £27 million by ensuring they can access and maximise benefits they are entitled to and through debt advice. The experts have helped thousands of individuals and families – and they could potentially help you too. Staff across various other Council services are here to help make sure that as many people as possible in North Ayrshire have an enjoyable festive season. One of the things we can all do to boost the North Ayrshire economy is shop and visit locally, so the money we spend is supporting businesses across the region. This is part of the Community Wealth Building economic model, which sees wealth being retained locally thanks to us working closely with partners to increase employment and use local produce and resources where possible.
Quote from: Councillor Marie Burns, Leader of North Ayrshire Council
The campaign hashtag is #NAChristmas25 and you can search for this on the Council’s corporate social media accounts - Facebook , LinkedIn and X.
Money Smart incorporates the former Money Matters and Welfare Reform Advice Team, and its services are available to all Council tenants and non-Council tenants (those living in housing association homes or private lets, and owner occupiers) who are:
- Engaged with and refereed by the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), the Council and Third Sector agencies including food banks
- Pregnant or have dependent children
- Living with a disability
- Care for someone or
- Are from a minority ethnic background.
Money Smart offers services by phone, video call, in person and - in some circumstances - in your own home. To get in touch, call 01294 310000 (option 1), email the team or visit the North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership website and use the online contact form.
Opening hours are 9am to 4.45pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4.30pm on Fridays.
If you don’t fall into any of the categories that make residents eligible for help through Money Smart, there is other support available to find out more about welfare right and debt.
Please email CHAP or phone CHAP or call Citizens Advice Scotland or StepChange.
First Alliance Community Bank is a member‑owned financial co‑operative. It helps households build savings, access affordable credit and improve their financial health. There is more information on the bank's website.
The Council’s dedicated Cost-of-Living webpage has lots of helpful information here about various grants and support - and you can also fill in a referral form.
Published: 02 December 2025