Grants
Grants are usually one-off payments or help in kind, and you normally do not pay them back.
What counts as a grant
A grant is money or help in kind that you do not pay back. Some come from government schemes, some from your council, and many from charities and benevolent funds set up for people in a particular job, illness or area. Each one has its own rules and its own form.
Where to look first
- Your council's welfare assistance or hardship scheme, for an urgent need such as food, heating or a cooker.
- Charitable funds linked to your job, former employer, trade union, armed forces service, illness or disability.
- Your energy supplier's hardship fund if you are behind on gas or electricity.
- A free adviser, such as Citizens Advice, who can check which funds are open to you.
Our guides on grants and one-off help
- What happens if funeral expenses payment is refused
- How long does funeral expenses payment take to process
- What evidence is needed for funeral expenses payment
- Evidence needed for school uniform grant appeal
- How council emergency grants affect your other benefits
- Disabled facilities grant means test explained
- How to apply for school uniform grants
- How to claim funeral expenses from the estate of a benefit claimant