This explains that the Social Fund is for people on low incomes, and can give grants or loans to help obtain important essential things, like heating costs, funerals, household items, clothing & footware, urgent safety costs.

If you’re finding it difficult to manage everyday tasks at home, you have a right to ask your council’s adult social services department to assess your support needs. This factsheet explains how to ask for a care needs assessment and what support services you may receive from your local council if you’re assessed as needing […]

Housing Lin case study no 10 – Example of a well-established Direct Payments service, managed by Hampshire County Council in partnership with users of direct payments, carers and voluntary sector support agencies.

This explains the payments that can be made by Social Work Departments, so that individual people can arrange their own care to meet the needs that they’ve been assessed as having. It explains what Direct Payments are and what they can be used for.

Guidance from the Financial Services Agency about what to do if your mortage mayments are in arrears

This factsheet is relevant to you if you have had a care needs assessment, qualify for council support and social services are arranging your care. Your personal budget is the amount of money that the council has calculated is needed to meet your social care needs. Direct payments are one way of receiving this personal […]

The Social Fund is a scheme to help people with expenses that are difficult to meet from a low income. It covers Funeral Payments, Cold Weather Payments, Winter Fuel Payments and Sure Start Maternity Grants. Advances of Benefit are a form of payment on account of benefit that replaced the discretionary Social Fund from April […]

State pension age. Retirement pension. Other benefits. Winter fuel payments. Appointees & agents for disabled people. How much they are & how to claim