Slough grants assistance from local welfare

When funds are available, and the application criteria have been met, the Slough Local Welfare Provision may help a family in a crisis. The government funded scheme provides everything from one off fuel bill help to free goods or services, including parcels of food, white goods, clothing, and more.

The council runs this scheme. It can help people local to the Slough community that are in a financial emergency, over the age of 16 or that are threatened with a serious risk to their well-being. This can include health or safety concerns. So if someone is threatened with hunger they may be given food, if an older person may be at risk due to cold maybe energy bill help is provided, etc.

Any assistance paid out will not be cash; the local welfare provision (LWP) is cash-limited. Instead the applicant will be given other forms of support to address their exceptional circumstances or hardship, even including loans for paying bills. More information on that is below. But note the financial assistance is not aimed at paying ongoing expenses but rather one-off needs.

If funds are not available, or if there is cash or household items available from another source, then the Slough council will signpost the applicant to those other charities or not-for-profit sources. Or they may also signpost the applicant to the local credit union for budgeting advice and/or a loan.

Form of assistance from Slough LWP

The Slough councils provides funds similar to how to central government handled welfare in the past. There are two forms of assistance, one being the Crisis Awards and the second being Community Care Awards. Both will only be offered when all other resources have been exhausted and the need for additional financial assistance is still immediate. Since welfare is a last resort, then those applicants who are eligible for a short term advance, a financial hardship award or budgeting loan will not be eligible for LWP.

There are three main types of assistance given as part of the Slough local welfare scheme. One is to address hunger. When a family is on a low income and has used the food banks or soup kitchens, and if they still need help, then the council may assist. There will be additional parcels of free, healthy food given to the family. It accounts for ages as well as number of people in the home. There is also information on other Berkshire food banks.

Utility bill help is also one of the payments from the welfare scheme. The grant may not only be paid for energy bills (in the form of a credit on the bill or bank account), but they will also pay for connection charges. This can be effective when the resident does not have the cash to turn on their heat or lights.

White goods, furniture, and household supplies are offered too. This will be a part of the Community Care Awards. In these instances the items will be given to the welfare recipient. This is not financial help. What may be given includes fridges, washers, cookers, beds, furniture for a home, and other supplies the home may need to be established in Slough. These provision of free goods may be given by a third party provider that partners with the council.

Other one off bills can be paid using a welfare grant. These are at the discretion of the council. This may be expenses to attend a local job interview in Slough. Or the council can be for travel for a funeral of a loved one. Other costs paid may be financial assistance for rental deposits, transportation or petrol.

Depending on the client’s background, as well as resources available, the Slough Local Welfare Provision may award any assistance as a loan and not a grant. This means the cost will need to be repaid. So if if there was say a credit given on a fuel bill, or a parcel of food passed out, the beneficiary will need to agree to a repayment plan over time to pay back the cost of those goods.

The assistance from Slough welfare is aimed to be a short term fix to a certain bill or needed item. It can help prevent a long term problem by giving the family what they need to solve the emergency. Keep this in mind when applying.

To apply for the Slough Borough Council welfare scheme, the post is Landmark Place, High St, Slough SL1 1JL. Or ring the line at 1753 475111. All applications need to be made within person and applicants need to meet minimum criteria in place.