Items excluded from the Scottish Welfare fund

The Scottish Welfare Fund cannot make an award for any of the following:

1. a need which occurs outside the United Kingdom

2. an educational or training need including: clothing and tools, distinctive school uniform or sports clothes for use at school, equipment to be used at school, travelling expenses to or from school, school meals taken during school holidays by children who are entitled to free school meals

3. expenses in connection with court (legal proceedings) such as legal fees, court fees, fines, costs, damages, subsistence or travelling expenses

4. removal or storage charges if the person is being re-housed following a compulsory purchase order, a redevelopment or closing order or a compulsory exchange of tenancies.

5. a television or a radio or a licence, aerial or rental costs, costs of purchasing, renting or installing a telephone (unless this is for the purpose of a personal alarm), mobile phones and any call charges

6. repair to Local Authority property or the property of social landlords who maintain property on behalf of the tenant.

7. rent in advance, which can be provided by a budgeting loan or discretionary housing payments

8. debts, debt interest, debts to government departments or Local Authority tax, Scottish Water water and waste charges, arrears of Local Authority tax or community water charges

9. any expense which the Local Authority or other organisation has a statutory duty to meet, for example regular costs for care or housing

10. a medical, surgical, optical, aural or dental item or service (note that needs under all of these headings can be provided free of charge by the National Health Service, if are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (incomerelated), or Pension Credit). Medical expenses, treatments, items and medications.

11. domestic assistance and respite care

12. work related expenses

13. investments

14. holidays

15. ongoing needs which are, or are likely to become, a feature of expenditure.

16. travelling expenses, with the exception of one-off expenses relating directly to the qualifying criteria, for example travelling expenses to help someone move to a new home where that move is essential to their re-integration in the community.

17. maternity expenses covered by a Sure Start Maternity Grant - see regulated Social Fund.

18. any costs related to a person's funeral - see regulated Social Fund.

19. expenses to meet the needs of people who have no recourse to public funds.

 

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