After you have read the following information please click on the appropriate blue square at the bottom of this page to apply for a grant.

Apply for a Welfare Grant

The Scottish Government have introduced a new national provision called the Scottish Welfare Fund which will be administered by Local Authorities.

The Scottish Welfare Fund is intended to offer grants or in kind support for: 

Crisis Grants - provide a safety net in a disaster or emergency or when there is an immediate threat to health or safety.

Community Care Grants - enable independent living or continued independent living, preventing the need for institutional care or help families who are facing exceptional pressure.

Self-Isolation Support Grants - The Scottish Government is providing a grant of £500 to people who are in receipt of low-income benefits and who will lose income as a result of being required to self-isolate by Test and Protect to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

Who can apply for Crisis, Community Care and Self-Isolation Support grants?

Eligibility for Crisis Grants

The only pre-requisite is being16 or over.  Applicants should normally be entitled to Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, Savings Pension Credit, Guaranteed Pension Credit or payment on account of one of them in order to be eligible for a Crisis Grant but it is not essential.  There is no qualifying period for receipt of these benefits.

The key test of eligibility for a crisis grant is the severity of the applicant’s situation and the likely impact on them and their family. 

Eligibility for Community Care Grants

Applicants should be aged 16 or over. They should normally be entitled to Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, Savings Pension Credit, Guaranteed Pension Credit, or payment on account of one of them in order to be eligible for a Community Care Grant, but it is not essential.  There is no qualifying period for receipt of these benefits.

The key test of eligibility for a Community Care Grant is retaining or establishing a settled way of life in the community.

Eligibility for Self-Isolation Support Grants

To check if you are eligible, please click on the link below: 

Eligibility to Self-Isolation Support Grant

Review

If you do not agree with our decision, you may ask us to look at our decision again.  We call this a review.

Applications for review should:

• Be made within 20 working days of the original decision, though the Local Authority may use its discretion to allow later applications

• Be made in writing and explain the reason for the application for review and the date of the decision being questioned

• Include an explanation if there has been a change of circumstances since the original application

• Be signed by the applicant. If made on behalf of the applicant, consent should usually be required from the applicant in writing unless this places unreasonable demands on the applicant, for example due to disability or other health issues, problems with literacy.

Please write to FREEPOST RTCS-UUBG-YKEL, The Scottish Welfare Fund, PO Box 5776, Inverness, IV1 9EP