A major milestone has been reached by an advice project run in partnership with Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA).

The Welfare Rights Information Project, run with the help of Bute Advice Centre for the benefit of ACHA tenants, has generated more than £1.2 million since it began in May.

The welfare rights team has been working with tenants who needed assistance with existing claims or in other cases have started claims from scratch. Almost £400,000 of the total was related to housing benefit, greatly assisting tenants to remain in their homes.

The project was funded by the Scottish Government to the level of £200,000, with further assistance from ACHA and Argyll and Bute Council.

Alastair MacGregor, chief executive of ACHA, was delighted with what has been achieved.

He said: “Yet again the value of our welfare rights service has been demonstrated. The benefits system for tenants both in and out of work can be daunting and our project not only provides help for our tenants but by extension the wider community too. I would urge any of our customers experiencing problems to contact our service and make an appointment to check they are receiving all they are entitled to.”

The project received a visit from first minister Nicola Sturgeon and Brendan O’Hara, MP for Argyll and Bute, when they both visited tenants of the Association who benefited from the scheme.