The Scottish Welfare Fund

Scottish Welfare Fund provides a safety net for people on low incomes. This is a discretionary scheme which means it provides grants that do not have to be repaid.

There are two types of grants available:

Crisis Grant

These aim to help people on a low income who are in crisis due to a disaster (such as a fire or a flood) or an emergency (such as where money has been lost or an unexpected expense has arisen) and can provide occasional assistance to people where there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of that person or their family.

In the case of an emergency, only living expenses may be awarded, and in the case of a disaster, both living expenses and household goods may be awarded.

To be eligible for a Crisis Grant you must have no means of support. Examples could include if:

• you need help to get food or with heating costs
• you’ve lost money
• you’re a victim of domestic abuse and you need help with things like moving away from an abuser
• you’re facing a gap in your normal income because of a redundancy or change at work

Community Care Grant

A Community Care Grant, which is usually goods or services, can be provided to help qualifying people who need help in order to establish or maintain a settled home. You can receive support if you:

• are leaving care or might need to go into a care institution if help is not provided
• are leaving imprisonment or caring for someone on temporary release from prison or a young offenders’ institution
• are homeless or living an unsettled way of life 
• or someone in your household, is facing exceptional pressure such as a relationship breakdown

To be eligible for a Community Care Grant you must have savings less than £700 (£1200 if you are pension age).

To apply for a Scottish Welfare Fund grant you must be over 16 and normally have a low income, for example, be in receipt of Universal Credit or Pension Credit.

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