The Social Fund
What is it?
When you are on a low income it can be difficult to budget for emergency expenses or one-off payments for large items. Examples of these are funeral costs, costs of a new baby or furnishing a home. The Social Fund is a range of payments that can be made by the Jobcentre Plus to help in these circumstances.
Some payments are Regulated. This means that if you meet the criteria, and if you make a claim, you will receive the payment. Other payments are Discretionary. As well as showing that you qualify, you also have to show why you need the money, and the amount you have asked for.
If you need help to pay for one-off expenses, find out more about:
If you do not have enough money to meet your immediate needs such as food or heating because of an emergency or crisis, find out more about:
If you are expecting, or have just had a baby, find out more about:
If someone has died and you are responsible for the cost of the funeral, find out more about:
To find out whether you might qualify for extra money in cold weather, look at:
For an easy way to find out which benefits might apply to you and your circumstances go to What can I claim?
The Benefits Maximisation Service can provide personal advice on what you may be entitled to and help you make a claim. For more information go to Benefits Maximisation Service.
Disclaimer
Although every effort is made to ensure the information on these pages is accurate and up to date, it should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.