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Scottish Welfare Fund - help with living costs

Community Care Grant - how to apply

Last updated
2 Jul 2024

How to apply 

You can only apply for a Community Care Grant through your local council. You cannot apply through the Scottish Government.

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeenshire Council Angus Council Argyll and Bute Council Clackmannanshire Council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Dumfries & Galloway Council Dundee City Council East Ayrshire Council East Dunbartonshire Council East Lothian Council East Renfrewshire Council Edinburgh Council Falkirk Council Fife Council Glasgow City Council Highland Council Inverclyde Council Midlothian Council Moray Council North Ayrshire Council North Lanarkshire Council Orkney Islands Council Perth & Kinross Council Renfrewshire Council Scottish Borders Council Shetland Islands Council South Ayrshire Council South Lanarkshire Council Stirling Council West Dunbartonshire Council West Lothian Council

If you need help applying

If you cannot apply online or need help with your application, contact your local council.

They may offer other ways to apply such as by:

  • paper application form
  • email
  • phone

You also need to contact your council for any queries. For example, questions about payments or to check your application progress.

How long it takes

Most councils will tell you the outcome of your application within 15 working days.

However, some councils are taking longer than this due to an increase in applications.

Your local council may let you know how long you’ll wait once you submit an application.

Who can apply for a Community Care Grant

You may be able to get a Community Care Grant if:

  • you're leaving care or imprisonment and need help to start a settled home
  • you've been homeless, or living an unsettled life, and need help to start a settled home
  • you need support to stay out of care
  • you're caring for someone who's been released from prison or a young offender's institution
  • you're experiencing great pressure and need help to keep a settled home
  • you're escaping domestic abuse
  • a child's health is at risk

Your income

To get a Community Care Grant you need to be on a low income. This does not mean you need to be on benefits

What counts as a low income

There's no figure that confirms whether you've a low income. As a guide, if you're on one of the benefits below, or your income is about the same as someone who is, it's more likely you can get a Community Care Grant:

  • Income Support
  • Pension Credit
  • Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) - Income based
  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - Income based
  • Universal Credit

Your savings

If you have savings of over £700, or £1,200 if you get a pension, you'll be less likely to get a Community Care Grant. Your local council will decide.

 

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