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Crisis loans are repayable, interest free loans payable in emergency situations. You do not have to pay National Insurance contributions or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit to qualify.
If you are aged 16 or over and are without sufficient resources to meet an immediate short term need you may be eligible.
You do not need to be in receipt of a benefit but some people and expenses are excluded.
The loan is for expenses in an emergency or as a consequence of a disaster and the loan must be the only means of preventing serious damage or serious risk to your health or safety or the health or safety of a member of your family.
A Crisis Loan may also be made for rent in advance where a person is awarded a Community Care Grant because they are leaving institutional or residential care.
- you are a student or person from abroad; or
- your Jobseeker's Allowance is disallowed or sanctioned; or
- you or your partner are disentitled from or receive a reduced rate of Jobseeker's Allowance because of a trade dispute,
a Crisis Loan is only considered for certain limited needs.
The Decision Maker considers each application on its merits, taking account of the nature, extent and urgency of the need.
Although the Loans budget is cash limited it will be rare for a Crisis Loan to be refused because of lack of funds.
SF400, a self-completion form, or SF401. Applications can also be made over the telephone on freephone 0800 028 8822. An interview may also be necessary.
Lump sum payment, normally cheque payable to the applicant.
If you have been awarded or refused a payment for an item or service within the last 26 weeks you cannot get a payment for the same item or service within 26 weeks of your first application unless there has been a relevant change of circumstances.
There is no minimum amount, but if the award is for living expenses there is a maximum amount related to the Income Support rate.
In the case of an item or service the maximum amount will be the cost of repair or reasonable cost of replacing or purchasing a new item or service.
The maximum overall loan limit is £1500 less any outstanding Social Fund loans of the applicant or partner.
Any available resources are taken into account and no loan may be awarded in excess of the amount which the applicant is likely to be able to repay.
Repayments are flexible taking into account income and commitments and are usually made over a period not exceeding 104 weeks.
There is a review system.
Further details can be found in:
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