LRD guides and handbook April 2019

Universal Credit and other in-work benefits - a guide for union reps and workers

Chapter 3

The Social Fund and Local Welfare Assistance

[ch 3: page 32]

The Social Fund is a government scheme providing help for one-off or occasional expenses that people on low incomes find difficult to meet.

There are a number of Social Fund benefits including:

• Budgeting Loans

• Cold weather payments

• Funeral payments (see also Chapter 8)

• Short-term benefit advances

• Sure Start Maternity Grant (see page 50)