Help for low income families

Low income

If you are on a low income you may be able to get financial help for a variety of reasons.

Sure Start Maternity Grants (The Social Fund)

A Sure Start Maternity Grant is a payment of £500 which does not have to be paid back. To qualify you or your partner must be receiving income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element, or Working Tax Credit where a disabled worker is included in the assessment. You should claim:
· anytime from 11 weeks before the week the baby is due until three months after the baby is born
· if you are adopting. You should claim within three months of adopting and your baby must be under 12 months at the date of your claim
· if your baby is born by surrogacy. You should claim within three months of the order being made and you and your partner must have a parental order.
Ask at your local Jobcentre Plus office, Social Security office or at the Pension Service for the SF100 Sure Start form to claim.


Funeral Payments (The Social Fund)

Funeral payments help with the essential costs of a respectful funeral, which you or your partner are responsible for arranging. To qualify you or your partner must be receiving income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element, or Working Tax Credit where a disabled worker is included in the assessment. The payment is recoverable from any money available form the deceased person's estate. Ask at your local Jobcentre Plus for a claim form and more information.

Community Care Grants (The Social Fund)

A Community Care Grant (from £30 up to £1,000) does not have to be paid back.
To be eligible you must have be getting Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit, or payment on account of one of these, or you are likely to get one of these benefits or entitlements when you move out of residential or institutional accommodation. Grants may be awarded to help people:
· who are leaving accommodation in which they receive care
· continue to live in the community
· on a resettlement programme to set up home Grants can also be awarded to help ease exceptional pressures on families, to care for a prisoner or young offender on release on temporary licence, or to help with certain travel costs. Ask at your local Jobcentre Plus for a claim form and more information.


Budgeting Loans (The Social Fund)
Budgeting loans are interest-free (from £30 up to £1,000 in total) for the cost of things other than regular expenses (e.g. furniture, household equipment, clothing, footwear, things to help you look for or start work). To be eligible you or your partner must have been getting Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit, or payment on account of one of these, for at least 26 weeks.
Ask at your local Jobcentre Plus for a claim form and more information.


Crisis Loans (The Social Fund)
Crisis Loans are interest-free and can help if there is a serious risk to the health and safety of you or your family following an emergency or disaster. You do not need to be getting any benefits but you must be over the age of 16. Whether you can get a Crisis Loan will depend on your particular circumstances. Ask at your local Jobcentre Plus for a claim form and more information.


Working Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit is for people who are employed or self-employed who usually work 16 hours or more a week in paid work and who are either: · aged 16 or over and responsible for at least one child
· aged 16 or over and disabled
· aged 25 or over and usually work at least 30 hours a week
As part of Working Tax Credit you may qualify for help towards the costs of childcare (known as the childcare element)-this is worth up to 70 per cent of your childcare costs up to a maximum of £94.50 for one child and £140 for two or more children each week.

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