You can use this application form to make a claim for a Discretionary Award
Crisis Grant
Crisis Grants are provided where an individual is facing a disaster or emergency situation,
and where there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of that individual or their family.
Community Care Grant
A Community Care Grant can be provided to qualifying individuals for the following reasons:
- to enable qualifying individuals who are leaving care or imprisonment to establish or maintain a settled home, where without a grant there is a risk that the individual will not be able to do so.
- to enable qualifying individuals to establish or maintain a settled home after being homeless, or otherwise living an unsettled way of life.
- to enable qualifying individuals to maintain a settled home, where without a grant there is a risk of the individual needing to go into a care institution.
- to enable qualifying individuals to maintain a settled home in a situation where that individual, or another individual in the same household, is facing exceptional pressure.
- to assist a person to care for a qualifying individual who has been released from prison or a young offenders institution on temporary release.
The payments are not given to you as cash. They are usually good quality, second hand furniture or white goods (for example, refrigerators or washing machines) or store vouchers for specific goods.
You can also claim for Discretionary Housing Payments
The Council has a limited amount of money that can be used to help residents in receipt of Universal Credit whose housing costs are not being met in full.
The scheme is not part of the benefits legislation. All awards are made at the Council's discretion. To be eligible you will need to show that your circumstances are exceptional.
Awards are normally for a period of between 2 to 6 months and cannot be relied upon to solve long term shortfalls in benefit.
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