Community Care Grant

crescent678

i am on income support and have been since the start of this year.i have moved back home to live with my mother who is also on income support,the room that i have got needs decorated and furniture and my mum cant afford to pay for this,lady in job centre told me that i am allowed a community grant due to my circumstances,i filled out the community grant form and sent away,today i received a letter saying thatt they are not giving me anything as i dont meet the requirements,i phoned job centre and they still state this is what grant i need,they have told me to appeal but if i write down on a letter what i put on my form there still going to say no,am confused,can anyone advice me on what to do for an appeal. many thanks

healy

I thought that these grants were to help people with independent living rather than paid to those who live with their parents. It may be a good idea to check with a welfare rights officer at the CAB.

suelees1

There's nothing to stop you claiming because you live with your mum so if you're unhappy with the decision you should ask for a review within 28 days of the decision. If you are refused again you can then ask for a further review by the Independent Review Service.

CCGs are awarded for quite specific grounds but the most general would be to help ease exceptional pressure. There is no definition of exceptional pressure in the regulations so you should try to explain in full detail why an award would ease the (possibly cumulative) pressures on you.

It also depends on priority needs/items and the local budget.

You might be seen more as priority if you're claiming IS as long term sick or for other reasons. As far as whether the items you request are priority, a couple of examples might be that normally a bed would be seen as a priority item but decorating wouldn't; curtains might not be priority but again it would depend if your room is overlooked or perhaps for some other reason.

I'd do as healy suggests and seek advice from CAB or similar organization.

notlongnow_2

Money to decorate your bedroom at home? Do they really have grants for things like this? Im presuming your mum doesnt pay a mortgage/rent if she is on IS and if you both just put a few pound away each week then you would soon have enough. Have you tried ebay for local cheap bargain furniture? I see them all the time for my area.
It doesnt have to be expensive to decorate. You can ask on freecycle for paint and furniture. Im always amazed at what things people actually will give away for free, presuming you can collect.

[Deleted User]

notlongnow wrote: »

Money to decorate your bedroom at home? Do they really have grants for things like this? Im presuming your mum doesnt pay a mortgage/rent if she is on IS and if you both just put a few pound away each week then you would soon have enough. Have you tried ebay for local cheap bargain furniture? I see them all the time for my area.
It doesnt have to be expensive to decorate. You can ask on freecycle for paint and furniture. Im always amazed at what things people actually will give away for free, presuming you can collect.

Have you ever tried to survive on I/S let alone save whilst on it?:mad:

notlongnow_2

woodbine wrote: »

Have you ever tried to survive on I/S let alone save whilst on it?:mad:

Ive never been on IS but ive lived on less, and managed...just. I wasnt having a go..why the angry face? I offered advice about how OP can get what he/she needs.

vickyjayne

i live on i/s and while it is a great struggle for me and dd i make ends meet and decorate my home by putting £10 a week away, with regards to ccg's i had one but only when i moved into my new home to help with moving costs, furniture for me and my daughter such as beds but they will not pay for paint, also i do not think they will give you one if you live with your mother.
You could however ask for a social fund loan which you would have to pay back with a 0% interest rate.
They will also not offer you alot if you have no dependants though, if you are excepted for a loan the repayments will automatically come out of your i/s every week until paid off.

pipkin71

Does your mum live in council housing crescent?

Some councils do award money or vouchers for decorating, if the room is considered in need.

Your mum would have to approach the council to see if they had such a scheme, and if you qualified for this. It's not a definite that you will, but worth asking.

Pipkin xxxx

leebee11_2

Crescent,
I got a ccg at the beginning of the year, but asked for help filling it in, if you write a letter with it explaining why you really need it, it might help. Also, write down everything you need, like everything, and they would help you out with about half or a third if you are entitled

more777

A CCG is from the Social Fund and Jobcentres dont always know the full criteria and tell people to apply for loans and grants without knowing your full circumstances.

You can not get a grant because you feel like some new furniture or decorating your room. As expalined previously it is to help ease pressure on you and your family, or you are goign back into the community after leaving care/prison or other institution.

you can appeal but it does take some time and you have to put down in detail why you need it and it will help you as a grant rather than a loan. If you have been on benefit for over 26 weeks you can apply for a budgeting loan.

astonsmummy

Can you not apply for a budgeting loan?
You have to pay it back, but it's intrest free I think.