Welfare grant scheme
The welfare grant scheme can give South Gloucestershire residents short-term emergency funds to help with living costs.
Because of limited funds, we cannot provide cash or loans. We may be able to offer vouchers to get essential items.
We can also refer residents to other schemes and charities for advice.
We are currently unable to assist with Food and Utilities under the Welfare Grant Scheme and cannot accept applications for these at this time.
We are still open for Goods applications and are working to reopen for all applications as soon as possible.
Who can apply
You may be able to get help if you are living in or looking for a home in South Gloucestershire, are on a low income, and finding it difficult to manage financially.
Things to check before you apply
The welfare grant scheme is only available to people who have applied for and been refused other types of help.
These are:
- hardship payment (if you have been sanctioned)
- short term benefit advance (if you are awaiting your first payment of Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance or Employment Support Allowance)
- Universal Credit advance (if you are awaiting your first payment of Universal Credit)
- budgeting loan
- help from other schemes and charities
GOV.UK has benefits calculators where you can check that you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to.
The scheme funds are limited, you should only apply for things that are essential.
This includes:
Once every year
- food for you and your household
- nappies and formula for your baby
- gas and electricity (where these are paid for by topping up a pre-payment metre)
- basic equipment for cooking and eating
Once every 2 years
- essential items of furniture (for example a bed)
- white goods (such as a cooker or washing machine)
What the welfare grant scheme cannot help with
We cannot help with paying for:
- replacement items
- flooring, curtains or redecoration
- installing a telephone, telephone line or paying for a mobile phone
- housing costs or money for moving house
- paying your TV licence
- repairing your TV, satellite or cable
- paying for someone’s health or social care
- specialist beds or equipment
- transport costs or motor vehicle expenses
You can find information on help with travel costs on our assistance with travel page.
How to apply for the welfare grant scheme
- call us on 01454 868899 (Monday to Friday 8.45am to 2pm)
- visit one of our One Stop Shops
Please give as much information as you can to help us make a fair decision.
What happens next
Emergency applications will be processed within 2 working days. This could be for:
- food
- gas or electricity (where you will be disconnected without our help)
- baby formula and nappies
Applications for essential things that are not needed as an emergency will be processed within 5 working days.
We will call you if your application is successful.
If your application is unsuccessful, we will write to you explaining why we have refused your application.
We work with welfare advice providers in the area to ensure people have access to various forms of advice. Check our information relating to the advice services that are available page.