The Social Fund is made up of a number of payments that can be made by the Department of Work and Pensions, including the birth of two people on low income in certain situations, including following the birth of a child. These payments are detailed throughout this section. An overview:
Sure Start Maternity Grant is a £500 lump sum payable to people on low income to help with costs of a new baby. If you are already getting a grant for another child under 16, you cannot get the grant. You must be getting one of the following qualifying benefits:
You can claim 11 weeks before the week in which your baby is due and you must claim within 6 months of the baby’s birth (or an adoption or residence or parental order)
How do you claim?
You can apply for a Sure Start Maternity Grant on form SF100, which you can get from your local jobcentre Plus Office. You can print off and complete form SF100 – via www.gov.uk/sure-start-maternity-grant/how-to-claim. You call the Social Fund claim line on 0800 169 0140.
Budgeting Loans are for specified types of expenses, such as an item of furniture or household equipment. They are discretionary, so loan is not guaranteed. You must have been getting one of the following qualifying benefits for at least 26 weeks:
The amount paid is determined by a formula based on the size of your family and the amount of any outstanding budgeting loan debt you may already have; other household debt is also considered before a decision is made on any award.
Loans are repaid through weekly deductions from benefits, but are interest free. The loan must be repaid within 104 weeks. Note: if you are getting Universal Credit, you cannot apply for a budgeting loan and must apply for a ‘budgeting advance’ of your Universal Credit instead.
How do you claim?
You can apply for a budgeting loan online at www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits/how-to-claim, or use Form SF500 which you can get by phoning the Social Fund Section 0n 0800 169 0140.
Cold Weather Payments are paid to people getting one of the following qualifying benefits during recorded periods of cold weather:
Note: there are other qualifying conditions, linked to sickness for work and disability.
How much do you get?
You’ll get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31st March.
How do you claim?
You do not need to claim – if you qualify payment are made to you automatically.
If you were born on or before 5 October 1954 you could get between £100 and £300 to help pay your heating bills. You will get your winter fuel payment automatically (you do not need to claim) if eligible and either:
If you do not get either of these, or have lived abroad, you may need to make a claim. If you have previously had a winter fuel payment, you do not need to claim.
To get a winter fuel payment you have to be in the UK for at least on day during the ‘qualifying week’ – (for winter 2020/21 -21-27 September 2020)
How much do you get?
How much you get depends on your circumstances during the ‘qualifying week’. Any money you get is tax free and will not affect any other benefits you receive.
Funeral Expenses Payment is a lump sum to cover the basic costs of a funeral plus some other related expenses. You must be responsible for the funeral arrangements and be getting one of the following qualifying benefits:
You might also be eligible if you’re getting a support for mortgage interest loan.
You can still claim funeral expenses payment if you’ve applied for these benefits and you’re waiting to hear about your claim.
You must apply within 6 months of the funeral, even if you are waiting on a decision on a qualifying benefit. You can make a claim before the funeral if you’ve got an invoice or signed contract from the Funeral Director; it cannot be an estimate. If you get Universal Credit, you will not get a decision on your claim until after your next payment.
The payment can be recovered from any money or assets left the person who has died. There are also rules that exclude some people from claiming, if someone else, not on benefit, could have paid for the funeral.
How to claim?
The Department of Work and Pensions encourages you to start your claim for a funeral payment by phoning its Bereavement Service on 0800 731 0469. An Adviser on the Bereavement Helpline can help you claim any other bereavement benefits you might be entitled to. You can also claim by post – form SF200 can be downloaded, filled in and sent off.
The children’s funeral fund for England can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby still born after the 24th week of pregnancy.
It is not means-tested: what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.
The burial or cremation must take place in England.
The children’s funeral fund covers:
If you have other funeral expenses, you might be able to apply for funeral expenses payment to cover them. You and your partner must be getting certain benefit – see Funeral Expenses Payment Guide.
The fees for the burial or cremation can be claimed directly by the burial or cremation provider – you should not be charged. How to claim for some other expenses (for example, the coffin) depends on if you are using a funeral director or not.
Claims must be made within 6 months of the funeral. You can claim for some other funeral expenses (for example, the coffin).
Claim online, via www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs.