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Apply for Welfare Support

Get help if you can't afford the basics such as food, energy costs, and household items, or help with certain debts.

The Welfare Support Scheme provides B&NES residents with short-term financial help in a crisis. The amount of help will be based on your personal and financial circumstances, but could include vouchers or help to buy essential items, we may refer you to a charity for support, or temporarily contribute towards housing or living costs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scheme, all of the following must apply:.

  • You live in B&NES
  • You are in a financial crisis and struggling to pay for food or essential items
  • You have no other means of support available to you
  • You are not subject to immigration controls

We might ask you to complete an income and expenditure form to support your application. We may also ask for bank statements or other evidence as required during the application process.

How we can help

Food

Access to the local foodbank, retail vouchers for food and essentials, or referral to other appropriate food provision in B&NES.

Energy costs

Help with certain household bills (includes gas electric, oil, or LRG fuels).

Other help

We can also help with the following things:

  • Household furniture, carpets, or essential white goods 
  • Removal costs
  • Help to pay for school uniforms
  • Essential clothing in certain situations (for example, interviews or recent release from prison)
  • Council Tax debt
  • Rent in advance to secure a tenancy
  • Rent arrears as a Discretionary Housing Payment, or from the Welfare Support budget (if you are not eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment)

How to apply

WarningIf your request is urgent, please call us on 01225 47 72 77 as emails are not constantly monitored.

By phone

Call us on 01225 47 72 77 (Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm, and Friday, 9am to 4pm).

By email

Email us at welfare_support@bathnes.gov.uk providing your name, address, contact number and a brief description of how we can help.

We may ask you to complete a Welfare Support and Discretionary Housing Payment application income & expenditure form

Find out more about benefits by following the links in the panel on the right.