Departments Directions Social Fund GuidePart 3 - Crisis Loans
Direction 15 - Excluded personsThe Department directs that
A crisis loan may not be awarded in respect of a person who is -
(a)a resident in a residential care home, a nursing home or a hospital in-patient, unless it is planned that the person will be discharged within the following two weeks, or
(b)a prisoner or person who is lawfully detained or is on temporary release under rule 27 of the Prisons and Young Offenders Centres Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, or
(c)a person who is a member of and fully maintained by a religious order, or
(d)a person who is (or would be) treated as -
(i)a person in full time relevant education for the purpose of income support, or
(ii)a person receiving relevant education for the purpose of income-based jobseeker's allowance, and, as a result, falls into a category whereby he is not (or would not be) entitled to income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance.
Excluded persons
4250This Direction sets out some groups of people not eligible for a crisis loan. Other exclusions are set out in Direction 23.
4251Prisoners who are on temporary release are excluded from receiving a crisis loan.
4252Temporary release is governed by rule 27 of the Prisons and Young Offenders Centres Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, it is also referred to as home leave.
4253You should consider a CCG for a person receiving IS, income-based JSA, Pension Credit or payment on account of such benefits who needs help with the extra expense of caring for a prisoner on temporary release, see para 3000 et seq.
4254The exclusion in direction 15(b) does not apply to people who are:
- released from prison on parole
- released from prison on permanent licence
- on bail pending a court hearing
4255-4299
Direction 16 - Students and persons from abroadThe Department directs that
Where the applicant is -
(a)a full time student except where he is in receipt of either income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, state pension credit or payment on account of such benefits, or
(b)a person who is (or would be) treated as a person from abroad for the purposes of either income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, or, in the case of state pension credit, a person who is (or would be) treated as a person not in Northern Ireland and, as a result, falls into a category whereby s/he is not (or would not be) entitled to income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or state pension credit.
a social fund payment under direction 3 shall only be awarded in order to alleviate the consequences of a disaster.
Students and persons from abroad
4300Students who receive IS, income-based JSA, Pension Credit or payment on account of such benefits are eligible for crisis loans in the normal way.
4301There is no exclusion from Pension Credit for students aged 60 or over who are in:
- full time advanced education
- part time advanced education
- full time non-advanced education
- part time non-advanced education
4302Student top-up loans and Access Funds are available in addition to any education grant. Most full time students are excluded from receiving IS or income-based JSA or payments on account of such a benefit throughout the period of their course including the long vacation where this occurs during but not at the end of a course.
4303Full time students who are not in receipt of IS, income-based JSA, Pension Credits or payment on account of such benefits are eligible for crisis loans during term time or in any vacation only to alleviate the consequences of a disaster.
4303Discretionary payments from the Access Funds, administered by the appropriate educational institution, are intended to provide help in cases of financial hardship. In determining an application you may wish to check the availability of such funds.
4304A person who is or would be treated as a person from abroad and is in a category that does attract an entitlement to IS or income-based JSA or payments on account of such a benefit is not excluded from receiving a crisis loan to alleviate the consequences of a disaster and their application should be treated in the normal way.
4305Particular attention should be given to the clothing needs of refugees. Persons from abroad who are eligible for urgent case payments will also be eligible for IS or income-based JSA premiums. Take account of this when considering SF applications.
4306-4349
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