For charitable hardship grants go to the Turn2Us website, which has an online grant finder.
If you are considering an education course and you can’t get the money you need from official sources, you may be able to get help from a charitable trust.
Contents
Discretionary Assistance Fund in wales
Local welfare assistance schemes in England
Disabled Facilities Grants
Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) are grants provided by your local authority to help meet the cost of adapting a property for the needs of a disabled person. The scheme operates in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Read our full guidance on DFGs.
Disabled Students Allowance
If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty and are studying in higher education, you may be eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). This allowance covers the extra disability-related costs or expenses you have while studying which are over and above those provided as reasonable adjustments by the college or university.
Read our full guidance on DSA.
Discretionary Assistance Fund in wales
This is a grant which provides cash, goods or payment cards. It provides two types of support:
Individual Assistance Payments to enable independent living or continued independent living, preventing the need for institutional care and
Emergency Assistance Payments to provide assistance in an emergency or when there is an immediate threat to health or wellbeing.
For more information about the scheme and how to apply for help go to the Welsh Government site
Funeral payments
You could get a Funeral Expenses Payment (also called a Funeral Payment) if you get certain benefits and need help to pay for a funeral you’re arranging.
Read more about getting help with funeral costs on Gov.uk.
Housing grants
You may be entitled to housing grants from your local authority if you need to make adaptations to your home to suit your needs as a disabled person.
Read our full guidance on housing grants.
Local welfare assistance schemes in England
Your local authority can issue grants and loans to meet a crisis or to help you with independent living.
Each local authority runs a different scheme.
Recent reports say that some authorities have now closed their schemes but you should still check to make sure.
Scottish welfare fund
This fund provides three types of discretionary grants:
- crisis grants to help you if you are in crisis because of a disaster or an emergency (this will usually be for people on benefits)
- family reunion crisis grant for refugee families, who settle in Scotland under family reunion rules.
- community care grants to help you, if you are on benefits, and you need support either to prevent you going into care or to help you leave any form of care and set up your own home.
You can find out more at www.scotland.gov.uk/. For information about how to apply in your area go here
16-19 bursary fund
You could get a bursary to help with education-related costs if you’re aged 16 to 19 and:
- studying at a publicly funded school or college in England - not a university
- on a training course, including unpaid work experience
A publicly funded school is one that does not charge you for attending it.