Erskine’s One-Stop-Shop provides Veterans access to almost £500,000 in crucial welfare support

A welfare service run by Erskine Veterans Charity has helped unlock over £470,000 in financial support for former servicemen and women, many of whom were unaware they were entitled to assistance.

Since its launch in 2021, the “One-Stop-Shop” service at the Erskine Reid Macewen Activity Centre (ERMAC) in Bishopton has supported hundreds of Veterans struggling with post-service financial insecurity.

The free-to-access service provides personalised advice on a range of issues, from applying for welfare benefits to debt management. The service has become a regular point of contact for many of the 439 Veterans who have engaged with ERMAC since it first opened in Renfrewshire.

Many of those supported are experiencing long-term socio-economic challenges, including poor mental health, limited mobility, and the lasting effects of military service. Some are simply unaware of their eligibility for support, while others are overwhelmed by the bureaucracy involved in accessing it.

The service helps Veterans apply for Housing Benefit, War Pensions, Adult Disability Payments, Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance. It also supports applications for Blue Badges, Veterans ID cards, entitlements such as railcards and local authority concessions, and more. Veterans are referred to debt advice services when appropriate.

One user said: “Every morning now, I wake up and I know that the debt men aren’t going to come and knock the door.”

The success of the Bishopton-based service informed its inclusion at Erskine’s newly opened Veterans Activity Centre in Forres (EVAC North). Since its launch in January 2025, more than 350 Veterans have registered as members of the Centre and over 50 appointments have already taken place at the One-Stop-Shop.

A recent case involved an elderly Veteran who had lived for the past 15 years on the lowest rate of basic pension. With support from the One-Stop-Shop, he is now expected to be over £1,000 a month better off, with a significant backdated payment of earned entitlements due.

The service is delivered by an experienced Financial Inclusion Officer, who often works with Veterans facing complex challenges, including anxiety, panic attacks, and cognitive decline.

Lesley Cowie, Erskine Trusts and Foundations Manager, said: “We see time and again how easily Veterans can fall through the gaps in the system, not because the support isn’t there, but because navigating it can be overwhelming, especially for those dealing with trauma, disability or isolation.

“This service is about someone sitting down with our members, without judgement, and helping them reclaim some sense of control. For some, it’s the first time in years that they feel heard and understood.

“We are under no illusions about the challenges many Veterans face, particularly in the current economic climate. That’s why our financial inclusion work is core to how we support people who have served.”

Lesley added: “We could not deliver this service without external funding. We are hugely thankful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust who have enabled the provision of the Bishopton service, and similarly, the Scottish Veterans Fund who support the EVAC North service.”

The One-Stop-Shop service is available free of charge to all members of ERMAC in Bishopton and EVAC North in Forres. Both Centres are free to join and open to Veterans of all ages and backgrounds.

For more information on how to become a member or to access support, visit: www.erskine.org.uk/

For further information please contact Susan Hamilton, Communications Officer, on 0141 814 4719 or email susan.hamilton@erskine.org.uk

Notes to Editors

Erskine Veterans Charity is more than a charity — it’s a community, a family, and a lifeline for Scotland’s Veterans and their loved ones. Since 1916, we’ve provided expert care and unwavering support for ex-Service men and women, continually evolving to meet the changing needs of those who’ve served our country.

As Scotland’s leading provider of care for Veterans and their spouses, Erskine continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Veterans as the only charity in Scotland to offer such a wide-ranging suite of person-centred services for our beneficiaries.

 Erskine delivers outstanding nursing, residential, and dementia care in our specialist homes on the East and West coasts. However our support extends beyond care homes: through our Veterans Village in Bishopton, we provide 44 family cottages, five Assisted Living Apartments, and 23 Transitional Supported Accommodation Apartments for Veterans of various ages and life stages.

We also help Veterans thrive within their own local communities. Our Activity Centres in Bishopton and Forres, offer a safe space for Veterans to come together with like-minded people to connect, engage in purposeful activities, learn new skills, and access support. In addition our regional Home Support service offers older Veterans the friendly assistance which they need to live well with independence and dignity in their own home.

At Erskine, we don’t just care for Veterans — we care about them.

The generosity of our supporters allows the charity to maintain our commitment to care for Scotland’s Veterans – without donations we simply cannot continue this work.

To find out more about Erskine Veterans Charity’s work please visit our website at www.erskine.org.uk, follow on twitter @ErskineCharity via Facebook www.facebook.com/ErskineVeteransCharity. To donate directly to Erskine, please visit Erskine.org.uk/donate.

Erskine Veterans Charity | Company No. SC174103 | Registered Charity No. SC006609 | The Erskine Home, Erskine Veterans Village, Bishopton, PA7 5PU