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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

councils emergency support scheme

23 replies

whatsthepointthen · 31/10/2018 13:51

ive named changed for this as i didnt want it linked to me but before i start this is not repeat not a thread asking for money i am not asking for anything other than to understand the councils emergency support payments.

I applied for an emergency support payment from the council yesterday as i had an unexpected bill that has left me with hardly any money, i dont have enough to buy food and my gas has gone so i can either buy food and have no gas or have gas and not enough food to last me a couple of days. Its also freezing in my house. i applied for it to put the gas on and i have never applied before. it says of your under any benefit sanctions then you cant apply yet i was rejected as “all my benefits are in payment” how does that make any sense?! im not due any for 2 days. aibu to think that doesnt make any sense? i will survive the 2 days but i thought the support scheme was there for people who need it and its not like ive ever applied before.

OP posts:

Bombardier25966 · 31/10/2018 13:53

Schemes are administered locally so you'd need to check what the rules are for yours. Which council is it? It sounds like it may be for people experiencing benefit payment delays.

You can ask for a foodbank referral if you need food.

BloodStainedLeavesBlowBy · 31/10/2018 13:54

If you have had the money to cover the payment period but it hasn't lasted for whatever reason then technically you have been paid and wouldn't be eligible for help

Have u been sanctioned?

Houseonahill · 31/10/2018 13:59

The CAB and the job centre in my area will give you a food bank voucher if you speak to them. Hope you get sorted OP

dontalltalkatonce · 31/10/2018 14:02

Please get a foodbank voucher. Dear god, this UC is such a shower of shit and no one seems to care at all, or think it's a good idea.

Original poster

whatsthepointthen · 31/10/2018 14:02

No no sanctions, i had child benefit paid on monday (its already been a tight month) then the bill was due to come out monday so i had hoped to withdraw the cb before the bill took it but i logged into my account waiting for cb to go in but the bill took it as soon as it went in (that was midnight on sunday as its normally paid after
midnight) i have a small amount of money but not enough for food and gas so im just going to use it to buy food as thats more of an essential, and tbh dont know of any food banks there certainly arent any local. just wondered what the point of the emergency payments were for then as they didnt ask me any details as to why i needed the money just how much i needed and what it was for. could understand if i was constantly applying taking the piss but i havent.

OP posts:

HappyPunky · 31/10/2018 14:03

Are you on universal credit? Try them for an advance payment. if they agree it goes in really quickly and repayments are interest free. You can't get another loan before you've paid it back though.

I had 800 a few months ago and I checked my online banking after we had put the phone down and it was in my bank.

Bombardier25966 · 31/10/2018 14:04

Are you sure there are no food banks nearby? There are two in my town but you wouldn't know it unless you asked.

dontalltalkatonce · 31/10/2018 14:17

Are you sure there are no food banks nearby? There are two in my town but you wouldn't know it unless you asked.

I'd ask the job centre but there are plenty of rural areas where there are not foodbanks nearby .

ileclerc · 31/10/2018 14:21

In my area emergency support payments are for after a diaster eg flood, fire etc, fleeing domestic violence or if benefit payments haven't gone through. They are not generally to help with normal cost of living.

Ask the job centre about the foodbank, there may be some church ones that can help re foodbanks.

Original poster

whatsthepointthen · 31/10/2018 14:23

im not on universal credit yet, i did look into an advance payment but it said that was only if its your first payment after claiming. I will google food banks again but when i did look there was nothing local and the closest one only opened on certain days ... The annoying thing is im on a metre with my gas and the minimum emergency top up is £15 which is ridiculously high so im always living on the emergency.

which is my own fault really but i changed over from sse whose emerency top up was £5 but they didnt do smart metres and with small children i was finding having to go to the shop to top up a bit of a pain.

OP posts:

sossages · 31/10/2018 14:27

Do you have a reasonably local CAB? They can refer to a foodbank (and some will deliver if you're rural and have transport issues) and may know of some other options too. They will also know your council's particular decision making process for this sort of thing so might be able to explain it to you.

hatgirl · 31/10/2018 14:33

There will be an appeals process.

Ring them and ask, it may be that they can sort it out for you if a mistake has been made.

statetrooperstacey · 31/10/2018 14:36

Can you get u. Touch with your gas- electricity provider and ask if the can help?

GrumpyOldMare · 31/10/2018 14:53

I second speaking to your gas supplier - I was in a similar situation last winter and they topped up my gas meter and took it back so much every time I ''topped up''

Neshoma · 31/10/2018 14:59

Do you have an overdraft?

Original poster

whatsthepointthen · 31/10/2018 15:00

oh thats a good idea, im with utilita, i will call them now.

OP posts:

Becca19962014 · 31/10/2018 15:07

My councils emergency support scheme is now only for non-payment of benefit and excludes sanctions (and, if you're being investigated for fraud). I know here it's changed because so many people are without for such a long time before universal credit and every time it goes wrong that they can no longer have enough to cover other people, and yes you can get a loan before first payment but the jobcentre decide how much you can have, not you and it's usually a very small amount.

Yes it's very shit.

I'd speak to the gas company to see if they can help, £15 seems a high amount for emergencies to me as well so check that too.

Becca19962014 · 31/10/2018 15:07

X-post.

Becca19962014 · 31/10/2018 15:09

Re food banks Google local churches as sometimes they offer an independent scheme and may be able to help point you in the direction of someone to help. Not all schemes are searchable via Google. I know there's "local" schemes (I'm very rural so think within a couple of hours) to me that are not generally advertised.

Frankswife87 · 31/10/2018 15:13

Please call the cab , don't go cold or hungry. My local cab as well as getting food parcels sorted offers us a voucher to put on the gas and electric meter.

Rememberallball · 31/10/2018 15:17

How old are your children?

Utility companies are not supposedly to cut off supply if there are children under 5 years, the elderly or people with certain chronic health conditions. They should have asked about this when you switched to Utilita.

I would call them if the children are under 5 and ask them to help especially as it’s going to get cold overnight.

You can also ask local churches about food banks, GP surgery's, health visitors, job centres and CAB can all do referrals to food banks and may know of local contacts for out of your support if they are closed today/tomorrow.

Harpingon · 31/10/2018 15:26

If all else fails have you got somewhere warm you can go, like a library or a free museum? I hope you get something sorted x

HappyPunky · 31/10/2018 15:37

It's not just if it's your first payment - I had the loan after being on it over a year. It was because I moved house though.

No help right now but have you applied for a warm home discount?

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