Crisis support

Budgeting Advance

You may be able to get a Budgeting Advance to pay for things you will need to start or stay in work, as well as for things like essential household items or funeral costs.

A Budgeting Advance is a loan that needs to be paid back.

Before taking out a Budgeting Advance it is worth finding out if there are grants or benefits you can get that do not have to be paid back. You can check this with a Welfare Rights Officer at your local council or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Who can get it?

You can ask for a Budgeting Advance if:

• you have been getting Universal Credit for at least 6 months
• have earned less than £2,600 in the last 6 months and
• have paid off any previous Budgeting Advances

How much is it?

Single parents can borrow between £100 and £812. How much you actually get depends on how much you are able to pay back and the amount of savings you have.

How the advance is repaid

The Budgeting Advance is a loan and has to be repaid over 12 months. There is no interest added to the loan so the amount you borrow is how much you will need to repay.

Repayments are taken out of your monthly Universal Credit payment. This starts from the payment after you get the advance.

Deductions can be taken from your other benefits if you stop getting Universal Credit before you have finished paying off all of the advance.

If you stop getting benefits you will be contacted by a DWP Debt Management Contact Centre. You can arrange with them how you will pay off the remainder of your advance. If you do not arrange to pay back the advance, DWP can contact your employer to take money from your earnings. DWP can also use a debt collecting service to collect your repayments.

How do I apply?

Contact your work coach at Jobcentre Plus to apply.

Budgeting Loan

Budgeting Loans are interest-free loans. The money has to be paid back, but it can be used to purchase things like:

• Furniture
• Household equipment
• Clothing
• Maternity expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Rent deposit
• Removal expenses
• Travelling expenses

Before taking out a Budgeting Loan it is worth finding out if there are grants or benefits you can get that do not have to be paid back. You can check this with a Welfare Rights Officer at your local council or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Who can get it?

To qualify you must be receiving one of the following for a period of 26 weeks:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit

How much is it?

Single parents can borrow between £100 and £812. How much you actually get depends on how much you are able to pay back. Any savings or other loans you have will also affect how much you can borrow.

How the Budgeting Loan is repaid

Budgeting Loans have to be repaid. There is no interest added to the loan so the amount you borrow is how much you will need to repay.

It is usually be paid back over 24 months. Repayments are taken from your benefit starting from the payment after you get the loan.

If you stop getting benefits you will be contacted by a DWP Debt Management Contact Centre. You can arrange with them how you will pay off the remainder of the loan.

If you do not arrange to pay back the loan, DWP can contact your employer to take money from your earnings. DWP can also use a debt collecting service to collect your repayments.

How do I apply?

You can apply online or pick up a form at your local Jobcentre Plus

Jobcentre Plus.

Apply for Budgeting Loan online.

If you get certain benefits or have an income under a specific amount, help may be available to pay for the cost of things such as NHS services and equipment.

This includes things like dental treatment, glasses and travel to and from hospital.

For more information visit NHS Inform – help with health costs.

The Scottish Welfare Fund consists of two grants and payments.

The money comes from the Scottish Government but is given out by your local council.

Crisis Grant

Crisis grants offer help to people who need money quickly after an emergency or disaster.

Who can get it?

You must be 16 years or over and have a low income to get a crisis grant. You do not need to be getting any benefits.

How much is it?

They are usually small amounts given to pay for food or heating costs for a few weeks at most.

You can usually get up to 3 crisis grants per year. How many you get and how much you will get will be based on your individual circumstances.

They do not have to be paid back.

How to apply

Contact your local council or visit their website for more details and to apply.

Community Care Grant

This fund can pay out cash grants or give store cards for the purchase of white goods and furniture. It can also give fuel cards, food vouchers and travel permits.

Who can get it?

You must be 16 years or over and have a low income to get the grant. You do not need to be getting any benefits. You must also be leaving care or need help to allow you to stay in your home.

How much is it?

What you get will be based on your circumstances and what the council can provide. You are less likely to get the grant if you have more than £700 in savings.

It does not have to be paid back.

How to apply

Call your local council or visit their website to apply. There is a form you will need to complete.

A Citizens Advice Bureau or a Welfare Rights Officer at your local council will be able to help with this.

Funeral Support Payment

Funeral Support Payment is money to help pay for the costs of a funeral or cremation. It can help pay for the cost of the funeral of an adult, a child or a still born baby born after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Who can get Funeral Support Payment?

To get Funeral Support Payment, the person who died must have lived in the UK and the funeral must take place in the UK. In some circumstances you can get Funeral Support Payment if the funeral takes place in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

You need to live in Scotland and be responsible for paying for the funeral of the person who has died. The person who has died is usually a close relative of the applicant. If you are not related to the person who has died you will have to show why you are responsible for the costs.

You must also be receiving one of the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Universal Credit (UC)
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit (disability or severe disability element)
• Housing Benefit
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), not contribution-based JSA
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), not contribution-based ESA

How much is it?

Funeral Support Payment can help with the funeral or cremation costs, including travel costs and the cost of any necessary documents. The amount you get will depend on you circumstances.

Any insurance policies, money or assets the person who died left, will affect the payment you get. Costs met by the NHS or council will also reduce the payment. It does not affect any other benefits you are getting and is not counted for the Benefit Cap.

The average payment is around £1700 which could be much less than the actual cost of the funeral.

How it is paid

The payment can be made to you or directly to the funeral director.

How to apply

You can apply for Funeral Support Payment after the death has been registered. You can still apply for up to 6 months after the person has died. You can apply even if you have already paid for the funeral.

Apply online or by phone.

To apply online.

To apply by phone call Social Security Scotland: 0800 182 2222

Further help and information

For help applying.

For more details.

The Scottish Government has introduced a grant to help with the costs of a new baby called the Best Start Grant.

The Best Start Grant has replaced the Sure Start Maternity Grant in Scotland.

The Best Start Grant includes 3 different payments:

• Best Start Pregnancy and Baby Payment – to help with the costs of pregnancy and having a new baby. You will receive £767.50  from your 25th week of pregnancy to 6 months after the birth of your first child. You will get £383.75 on the birth of any following children.
  The higher amount may also be given for another baby born:
  • when the mother has had to leave her home due to domestic abuse,
  • after the parent/carer has taken on kinship care of a child who was over 12 months old when they went into care,
  • to someone granted refugee status, humanitarian protection or leave under the Afghanistan or Ukraine resettlement schemes who had a child before they arrived in the UK.
• Best Start Early Learning Payment – a payment of £319.80 to help with the costs of early learning. It is paid when your child is between 2 years and 3 years 6 months old. Your child does not need to be in nursery to get it. If you did not get the Pregnancy and Baby Payment you can still apply for this part.
• Best Start School Age Payment – a further payment of £319.80 to help with extra costs when your child reaches school age. Your child does not need to start school to get this.

The money will be paid into your bank account.

You may also get help to buy food for you and your baby.

Baby Box

All new-born babies in Scotland are entitled to a Baby Box. The box contains useful items and can also be used as a safe place for your baby to sleep.

Your midwife will fill in a Baby Box registration card with you between your 18 – 20 antenatal appointment or at your 28 week antenatal appointment.

The box will be delivered to you 4 weeks before your baby’s due date.

More information on Best Start Grant and the Baby Box

Carers Scotland

This organization offers support if you are caring for someone. They may provide or know of services or funds that can help.

Visit the Carers Scotland website to see the contact details of your nearest branch.

The Family Fund

This is an organization that gives support to families of disabled children. They provide grants and services.

For more information visit the Family Fund website.

Support and grants for people with a medical condition

If you or your children have a medical condition or disability there may be a charity or support group who can offer advice, information and grants.

You can search for these groups online or ask your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Turn2us to help you search.

Discretionary funds

If you are a student and in financial difficulty you can ask for help from the college or university’s Discretionary Funds. How these funds are used is decided by the college or university. They can be given for anything considered necessary to help you to continue your studies.

How much is it?

How much you get depends on your circumstances and how the college or university have decided to use these funds. They do not have to be paid back.

How to apply

Talk to your Student Financial Adviser at the college or university to apply.

Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB)

Your local CAB may be able to help you find local support and help as well as tell you of any grants you can apply for. They can also help you deal with any debt you have.

To find details of your nearest CAB visit the Citizens Advice website.

Turn2us

There is a tool on the Turn2us website that allows you to search for grants. They also have a tool to check you are getting the benefits you are entitled to.