Benefits

Who can claim?

• The claimant must be 16 years old or over.
• The amount of the award must not be more than the claimant can afford to repay.
• The claimant must need the loan because of an emergency or disaster or to pay rent in advance. The claimant must be without sufficient resources to meet the immediate short-term needs of themselves and/or their family.

What type of benefit is a Crisis Loan?

• It is an interest-free repayable loan for people to meet their immediate short-term needs in a crisis.
• It can only normally be awarded following a disaster and where it is the only means available of preventing serious damage or serious risk to the health and safety of a claimant or their family.
• A claimant does not have to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit but all of their available resources are taken into account.

How is a Crisis Loan worked out?

• It is paid to meet expenditure from situations such as:
  
  
  • loss of money;
  • fire or flood;
  • reconnection charges;
  • hardship due to payment of regular income in arrears;
  • homelessness;
  • hospital fares for patients; or
  • emergency travel expenses (e.g. for people stranded away from home).
• It is important that a claimant argues that their individual circumstances should be considered fully, as people may be affected differently by the same situation.
• The need for help will generally be a specific item or service or for immediate living expense for a short period not normally exceeding 14 days.

How do you claim?

• Make an appointment by phoning the Canterbury Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) office on 0845 608 8501.
• The claim must be completed at the DWP office on Form SF400 or their pro-forma, which is always completed during an interview.
• Always insist that a claimant completes a form and is given a written decision, as it is common for counter staff at DWP offices to put off potential applicants.

If eligible, a payment will be made on the day of the application. All available resources will be taken into account.

The Discretionary Social Fund

This is part of the national government Social Fund administered by DWP offices for people in need of essential items or services. The fund is in two distinct parts: Regulatory and Discretionary. The Discretionary Social Fund covers three types of payment:

• Crisis Loans;
• Community Care Grant;  
• Budgeting Loans.

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