Employee Financial Support Service

Taking care of your finances is as important as looking after your physical and mental health. In fact, research tells us that all three are closely linked and problems in just one area can have a big impact on our overall wellbeing and our work/life balance. Simply put, happy and healthy employees are more productive and better able to manage the demands of work and personal life. 

West Lothian Council is a Living Wage accredited employer, which means that wage levels are set with the cost of living in mind. However, there is more to good financial health than just income. The Employee Financial Support Service can help you to look at your overall financial picture looking to maximise your income wherever possible, look at ways to reduce outgoing costs and help furnish you with practical skills to put you in control of your money. 

Step 1: maximise your income

• Full financial check to see if you have any entitlement to social security benefits that we can help you to claim
• Check entitlement to one off payments to help with specific costs such as School Clothing Grants or Warm Home Discount 

Step 2: minimise your outgoings

• Work through a budget planner to see where you could cut back on unnecessary expenses
• If you have debt, we can help you to access specialist support to make sure you have the best repayment options for your circumstances

Step 3: skills for better money management 

• Digital tools for tracking your spending and managing your budget
• Options for saving and borrowing including direct payroll deduction

You can ask your line manager for a referral to the Employee Financial Support Service, or if you would prefer, you can fill in our online form.