Welfare assistance scheme

There are two types of help.

Daily living expenses

If your circumstances change unexpectedly and you do not have access to any money, you can apply for help with your daily living expenses (for up to seven days). This includes:

• food
• travel
• clothing (restrictions apply)

Settlement grant

A settlement grant will help you to stay in your home, or move back into housing, after living in supported or unsettled accommodation. For example if you're leaving care or you've been made homeless. This includes help towards:

• beds and/or bedding
• furniture
• white goods (for example, cooker, fridge, washing machine)
• kitchen equipment
• floor coverings
• curtains
• storage and / or removal costs

How to apply

Alternatively, you can contact us by phone Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5.00pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm (we are closed bank holidays and weekends).

If you do not qualify

If you don't qualify, we may still be able to guide you to organisations who can help - contact us for more information.

Help checking you're getting the right benefits

If you want to check if you are getting the right benefits, you can use one of the benefit calculators available on Gov.uk: Benefits calculators.

Using a calculator will give you an idea of:

• the benefits you could get
• how much your benefit payments could be
• how your benefits will be affected if you start work or increase your hours
• how your benefits will be affected if your circumstances change - for example, if you have a child or move in with your partner

Before you start

You'll need accurate information about your:

• savings
• income, including your partner's (from payslips etc)
• existing benefits and pensions (including anyone living with you)
• outgoings (such as rent, mortgage, childcare payments)
• Council Tax bill

You may find it useful to have this information to hand when using the calculator.

You cannot use the calculators if you're under 18, and they will not give accurate results if you are:

• a prisoner
• a student
• not a British or Irish citizen
• on strike
• living outside the UK
• living permanently in residential care or a nursing home