Financial health checks are an important part of income maximization support and advice services. However, benefit checks are often a main focus. This can be less helpful for migrant service users – especially those with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). This can even reinforce the feeling that there is no help available.

In our policy laboratory we worked with advice services to develop new guidance on financial health checks for migrants. The guidance is designed to support advisors and case workers to use Financial Health Checks more effectively when supporting migrants:

• It takes account of the specific financial challenges faced by migrants and their households.
• It provides a step by step outline of the different pathways to support they may need to follow.
• It foregrounds forms of assistance for which all Scottish residents are eligible
• It guides advisors through more complex eligibility checks.

You can download the guidance using the link on the right.

We partnered with Citizens Advice Edinburgh and Citizens Rights Project to develop this resource in 2025. It was successfully trialed and updated in 2026.

A significant majority of the 23 advisors and caseworkers who took part in the pilot found the guidance:

• increased their confidence in understanding of challenges and difficulties which migrants face;
• increased their ability to offer appropriate advice and support
• had a positive impact on migrant service users’ experiences.
• led them to adapt to advising practices and existing materials or tools

If you are interested in using the resource in your organisation and if you have feedback on how we can refine it please get in touch. Rebecca@migrationpolicyscotland.org.uk

Find out more about Migration Policy Scotland research on how migrants are disproportionately affected by poverty in Scotland here.