Care and support

The social fund

Community care grants

If you get income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or income related employment and support allowance you may get a community care grant from the social fund for things that you cannot pay for out of your weekly benefit. Community care grants do not have to be paid back. People who are ill or disabled are high priority and are more likely to get a community care grant than other people.

Claim a community care grant on form SF300, available from jobcentre plus. Telephone 0845 8500 032.

Budgeting loans and crisis loans

You may be able to claim a budgeting loan if you have received income support, pension credit, income based jobseeker’s allowance or income related employment and support allowance for at least 6 months. You will have to pay back the loan, usually by having money taken out of your weekly benefit.

Claim a budgeting loan on form SF500, available from jobcentre plus. Telephone 0845 8500 032.

Crisis loans are for people who need money urgently because of an emergency or a crisis. You do not have to be getting any other benefit to get a crisis loan. Crisis loans have to be paid back.

Claim a crisis loan on form SF400 from jobcentre plus. Telephone 0800 169 5198.

Sure-start maternity payments

If you are getting income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income related employment and support allowance, more than the family element of child tax credit, or working tax credit with a disability or severe disability addition and you are pregnant or have recently given birth you may get a sure-start maternity payment. The grant is £500. The payment is from the social fund and is to help buy things for a new baby.

Claim on form SF100, available from jobcentre plus. Telephone 0845 8500 032.

Funeral payments

If you have to make arrangements for a funeral you may get a funeral payment from the social fund. You must be getting one of the following: income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income related employment and support allowance, pension credit, more than the family element of child tax credit, working tax credit with a disability or severe disability addition, council tax benefit or housing benefit.

Claim a funeral payment on form SF200 available from jobcentre plus. Telephone 0845 8500 032

For more information about social fund payments, click on the link entitled claiming money from the social fund on the right hand side of the page.