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Benefits and support

Welfare provision scheme

We believe no child should go hungry during term time or the school holidays. If you're struggling to provide meals for your children, our welfare provision scheme will provide support.

The welfare provision scheme can give you short term financial help in a crisis. The amount of help that can be given will depend on your circumstances.

The scheme is designed to help if you are unable to meet your short-term needs in a crisis, or where you need help to maintain your independence within the community.

You will only be able to apply twice in any 12-month period.

What the welfare provision scheme covers

The welfare provision scheme could give you financial help for:

  • moving out of institutional care
  • furniture, white goods, beds and household equipment
  • a disaster such as a serious flood or fire in your home
  • gas and electricity
  • food
  • clothing and footwear
  • travel

These are only examples. If your situation is not mentioned it doesn’t mean you won’t get help.

Making a claim

You can make a claim if all of these apply:

  • you are aged at least 16 years of age
  • you are a resident of North Somerset
  • you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit or waiting to hear about a claim for a qualifying benefit such as:
    • Income Support
    • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
    • income-based Employment Support Allowance
    • Housing Benefit
    • Pension Credit
    • Universal Credit
    • Child Benefit
  • you do not have access to money that could be used to meet your needs
  • you are without support, which could result in serious risk to your own or your family’s health and safety
  • you have not received – or are not eligible for – help from other public funds for the same needs

If you want to make a claim, you will now need to apply online. You will need to upload evidence to support your application.

apply online for the welfare provision scheme

If you are unable to complete the application form online, we do have the facility to arrange an appointment to talk you through the application process. This is only available to qualifying residents who do not have the facility to complete online. To arrange an appointment please phone 01275 885 082 or email wps@liberata.com.

Once your application has been submitted, we will contact when a decision has been made. Please allow 72 hours for this. There is no need to contact us whilst you are waiting for a decision. 

Funding for the welfare provision scheme is given every April and is spread equally across the year. This means that the fund is limited. If the funds in the scheme have been used up, we won’t be able to help you – even if you are eligible for an award – until new funding is provided.

Looking at the decision again

You can ask us to reconsider our decision if you’re not happy with the outcome. Your request must be made within five working days of the date we issued our decision.

To ask us to look at the decision again, please email us using the email address on your decision letter.