When you are on a low income it is very difficult to budget for emergency expenses, funeral costs, the costs of a new baby or one-off payments for large items, such as, furnishing a home.
You could also be in a situation where you have no money coming in at all. There is money available for these situations, although it is limited. This is known as the Social Fund.
The Social Fund includes
funeral payments
maternity grants
crisis loans
budgeting loans
community care grants
cold weather payments.
Winter fuel payments are also a type of Social Fund payment, but they are restricted to people aged 60 and over.
The following link will take you to the relevant page on the adviceguide website
Go
to adviceguide The Social Fund