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Social Fund and Other Concessions

The Social Fund

It is a huge relief to know that the Social Fund is available if you are faced with a cost you are unable to meet because you are living on a low income.

It covers things like:

  • Funeral payments: for burial/cremation costs and up to £700 for other expenses like Director’s fees and flowers. You should not arrange a funeral until you’ve checked whether you qualify
  • Community care grants: to help you stay at (or return) home by paying for things like furniture‚ fuel connection‚ removal costs and minor house repairs. Grants can also help ease exceptional family pressures caused by disability‚ chronic illness or major changes‚ and cover urgent travel expenses
  • Budgeting loans: Loans between £100 and £1‚500 can be granted for essential lump sum expenses depending on your need and ability to repay it
  • Crisis loans: A loan available in an emergency or disaster (like fire or flood) to help prevent serious damage and keep you safe

Would I qualify?

  • You usually need to be receiving certain other benefits like Pension Credit and/or Housing/Council Tax Benefit. Benefits are not taken into account for crisis loans; these will depend on your particular emergency and personal circumstances.

Other concessions

If you are aged 60 or over‚ or have a disability‚ your local authority will offer you free off-peak cross-border bus travel. If you are over 75‚ you can get a free TV licence. A 50% reduction applies for people who are registered blind.

You can get the Funeral Payments Form SF200 from your local Social Security Office‚ and the Community Care Grant Form SF300‚ Budgeting Loan Form SF500 and Crisis Loan Form SF401 from your local Jobcentre Plus Office. All forms can be found on the DirectGov website.

For travel concessions‚ contact your local District or Unitary Authority‚ or your Passenger Transport Executive if you live in a metropolitan area.

For a free or discounted TV licence‚ phone TV Licensing on 0870 241 6468.

Age Concern can advise you on the financial help available to you‚ including local concessions. Contact your local Age Concern today.