City of North Lanarkshire emergency welfare fund

In partnership with the SWF, the City of North Lanarkshire provides financial assistance to families on a low income as well as the vulnerable in the area. The grant based welfare fund is for helping those people that are in a crisis, but the council can also link families to other social services and energy provider payment plans if they need it.

There will never be cash paid out out. Instead the City of North Lanarkshire provides either in-kind goods (such as vouchers for food, clothing, or a card to pay heating bills) or the council offers referrals. The welfare scheme is also funded as part of SWF, so once the money runs out for a year no other people can get help, no matter how dire the crisis is.

The aim of local welfare is the city is to help the vulnerable with their bills as well as housing and get them back on track. It will be used to address income inequality, including from pensioners and children too. It will promote social cohesion in the district.

Help from welfare in keeping or maintaining a home

Community Care grants are used to provide this service. It will safeguard vulnerable people that live in the city so they can keep their home or flat. Welfare is also aimed at assisting people affected by domestic violence, young people, and those with an illness among others.

The City of North Lanarkshire will give these families everything from furniture to white goods as well as appliances. In some cases, the applicant is given a new item, but this is normally only provided by welfare when the cost of repair would be more than what it costs. If and when needed, community care grants may also provide what is needed to keep the vulnerable family safe, even if what is needed is not listed above.

If the person needs financial help such as funds for their rent or deposits, then the applicant will be signposted to other charities or government programmes, such as DHP. When they need this type of aid from the SWF, the person will be required to provide all information needed by the authorities. Many of the City of North Lanarkshire schemes will need proof of income, what caused the crisis to lead to rental arrears, and more.

Emergency grants from City of North Lanarkshire

The application form from the council will first direct the person to other, local sources of assistance. Families local to the city will be expected to explore those resources first before continuing the the application for financial aid to welfare. So the person will need to first seek assistance from food banks, housing benefits for their rent, and other agencies before the city council will support them.

Most of the financial assistance is provided by a pre-paid card. This is what can help top off an electric meter or help a vulnerable family keep their heat on. Another use of this card will be provide free food to a family on a low income, and this is provided in partnership with local foodbanks. The council will let the client know where they need to go to collect the card and what can be taken with them.

The City of North Lanarkshire provides fuel bill help in partnership with charities and energy suppliers. A pre-paid card will help with both electricity as well as gas bills to keep the heat on during the winter. The resident needs to have applied for a payment plan from their supplier first, before applying for the local welfare scheme. Find other programmes that provide help paying gas and electric bills.

These crisis grants all noted above are provided for unplanned crisis events, such as a unexpected job redundancy or fire or flood. The hardship needs to be exceptional and unplanned for. Otherwise welfare is not available.

When applying for any of the welfare schemes in City of North Lanarkshire, the applicant needs to be over the age of 16 and have no other recourse to charity aid or public funds. Welfare will only help people that have no other access to funds from their family, savings, church, or other sources. Only one application can be done per year.

The customer care centre for the city can be called at 01698 403200. Specialists will put the resident in contact with welfare or other government schemes.