A Community Care Grant can be given, if you qualify, to help with costs if:

• you're leaving care or prison and need help to start a new and settled home
• you've been homeless, or living an unsettled life such as sofa surfing, and need help to set up a new and settled home
• you need support to stay out of care like a hospital or a homeless unit
• 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 your home to a livable standard or you require an item such as a washing machine and you are incontinent
• you're escaping domestic abuse and need help
• a child's health is at risk due to not having a settled home or essential items like a washing machine for their clothing, or a suitable bed for the child to rest

Your income

To get a Community Care Grant you need to be on a low income - this doesn't mean you need to be on benefits.

What is a low income?

There is no figure that will be used to judge whether you have 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, and/or receive housing and/or council tax benefit then it's more likely you'll be able to 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, we may ask you to provide evidence to support your application.