Help in an emergency or with one-off costs
Emergency and one-off costs
Always get a full benefit check to determine which benefits you are entitled to and the amounts you should receive. Then, if you need help in a crisis or for a one-off cost, use the checklist below for ideas of other ways to maximise your income and find a source of help.
This checklist is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the benefits or help for which you might qualify and is not a full statement of the law. Get specialist advice where appropriate.
If you need emergency help with food or fuel costs
Your circumstances | What to check | More information |
|---|
If you don't have food or are running out of food | Check whether you could get a referral to a food bank. You may be able to get vouchers or a referral to a local food bank from advice agencies including Citizens Advice, Jobcentre Plus staff or other professionals such as doctors or social workers. Some local authorities and some local organisations in certain areas may provide supermarket vouchers if you are in financial hardship. Local authorities may do this through their local welfare assistance schemes or a Household Support Fund scheme. In Scotland, you may need to apply for a Scottish Welfare Fund grant from your local authority. Check your local authority's website or your local Citizens Advice for details. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Trussel Trust:
Independent Food Aid Network:
GOV.UK: mygov.scot:
Citizens Advice: |
If you have an electricity or gas prepayment meter and are running out of fuel or don’t have fuel | Check your local authority’s website or your local Citizens Advice for fuel voucher schemes in your area and how to apply. You may qualify if you: •have a prepayment meter; and •are imminently at risk of running out of fuel.
| GOV.UK:
mygov.scot:
Citizens Advice: CPAG Welfare rights:
|
If you do not have a prepayment meter and are running out of fuel or don't have fuel | Check other help with energy costs that may be available. | CPAG Welfare rights:
|
If you need help in a crisis
Your circumstances | What to check | More information |
|---|
If you live in England | Local welfare assistance schemes are run at the discretion of each local authority in England. Check if your local authority has a local welfare assistance scheme, its rules, and how to apply for local welfare assistance in your area. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
|
If you live in Scotland | The Scottish Welfare Fund provides community care grants and crisis grants. Crisis grants are for short-term living expenses if there is an emergency or living expenses and items if there is a disaster. The basic rules are set by the Scottish government, with each local authority having some discretion. Check your local authority’s rules and apply to them. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
|
If you live in Wales | Check whether you can get a non-repayable emergency assistance payment from the Discretionary Assistance Fund. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.WALES:
|
If your children have urgent needs | Check whether you could get assistance from your local Children’s Services department. Children’s Services have a duty to support children deemed to be ‘in need’. Contact your local Children’s Services department. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
|
The Family Fund Emergency Essentials Programme provides items that meet a child’s most basic needs. You must be on a low income and there must be a crisis or emergency situation (eg, a fire or fleeing domestic violence). A professional must make the application. | Family Fund:
|
If you need help with a one-off cost
Your circumstances | What to check | More information |
|---|
If you get universal credit (UC) | Check whether you could get a budgeting advance. Budgeting advances are extra amounts of UC that are intended to help you with expenses. They must be repaid, usually by deductions from future UC payments. You or your partner must be getting UC and have been getting it, or another qualifying benefit, for at least six months continuously when the claim is made, unless you are applying for the budgeting advance for an expense which is ‘necessarily related’ to employment. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
|
If you get income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance or pension credit | Check whether you qualify for a budgeting loan for certain kinds of expenses. You must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit and you or your partner must normally have received a qualifying benefit throughout the 26 weeks before the date on which your application is determined. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
|
If you live in England | Local welfare assistance schemes are run at the discretion of each local authority in England. Check if your local authority has a local welfare assistance scheme, its rules, and how to apply for local welfare assistance in your area | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
|
If you live in Scotland | The Scottish Welfare Fund provides community care grants and crisis grants. •Crisis grants are for short-term living expenses if there is an emergency or living expenses and items if there is a disaster. •Community care grants are intended for people in certain situations, such as families under exceptional pressure or those establishing themselves in the community.
The basic rules are set by the Scottish government, with each local authority having some discretion. Check your local authority’s rules and apply to them. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
|
If you live in Wales | Check whether you can get an emergency assistance payment or individual assistance payment from the Discretionary Assistance Fund. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.WALES:
|
If you have children | The Buttle Trust can provide grants for children who are on a low income and who are also experiencing some additional hardship. A professional must refer the child. | The Buttle Trust:
|
If you have a disabled or seriously ill child | The Family Fund provides grants for essential items if you are on a low income. | Family Fund:
|
If you want to check what other help is available | Some charities provide support based on where you live, the type of work you do, or a type of health condition. Check for charities that provide help to individuals such as Turn2Us to see if there is a charity which could meet any of your support needs. | Turn2Us:
|
If you need appliances or furniture | Check whether there is a charity local to you which could assist with low cost appliances or furniture. | Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Re-use Network:
British Heart Foundation:
Emmaus:
Money Saving Expert:
|
Last updated on 12 April 2024