Social Fund
The Social Fund is a Government scheme to help people with expenses that are difficult to meet on a low income.
There are several different types of Social Fund benefits. These include:
- Budgeting loans - these are only available for people on income support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Pension Credit. If you are getting Universal Credit, you might be able to get a Universal Credit Budgeting Advance instead. If you are getting another benefit, you might be able to get a short term benefit advance instead.
- Cold Weather Payments
- Funeral Payments
- Sure Start Maternity Grant
- Winter Fuel Payments
For some, you can claim it as long as you meet the criteria, for others, payment is not guaranteed even if you are eligible to make a claim. With most, you have to be receiving certain other benefits to qualify.
Local welfare provision
Until April 2013, the Social Fund was also responsible for Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants which helped people in an emergency.
These have been replaced by:
- England: Local Welfare Assistance provided by the local council
- Scotland: The Scottish Welfare Fund
- Wales: The Discretionary Assistance Fund
- Northern Ireland: The Discretionary Support Scheme
Updated: February 2022