social fund help please

cloverfan

Hi does anyone know if i could apply and get any help for clothes and flowers for attending a funeral?? i am in reciept of income support

borders_dude

cloverfan wrote: »

Hi does anyone know if i could apply and get any help for clothes and flowers for attending a funeral?? i am in reciept of income support

According to their website you can apply to the social fund for a loan to pay for clothing. Not sure about flowers though :S

Here is a copy of their leaflet about the Social Fund. I presume it will be a budgeting loan from it you will be after?

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/stellent/groups/jcp/documents/websitecontent/dev_015606.pdf

cloverfan

thanks do u know how long they take to come through?

thorsoak

I'm a bit confuddled ....on 25th October, on the Social Fund thread, you said

"i was advised to refuse mine by the CAB hth"

You have your bankruptcy hearing on Tuesday, dont you?

McKneff

Flowers are really not a neccessity at a funeral.
Being there is the important thing.
and in all honesty, new clothes arent a necessity either.

borders_dude

McKneff wrote: »

Flowers are really not a neccessity at a funeral.
Being there is the important thing.
and in all honesty, new clothes arent a necessity either.

Perhaps the OP doesnt have any suitble clothing. I wouldnt want to turn up in jeans etc but im lucky enough to be able to afford to have suits, formal trousers etc; but perhaps the OP doesnt.

dmg24

McKneff wrote: »

Flowers are really not a neccessity at a funeral.
Being there is the important thing.
and in all honesty, new clothes arent a necessity either.

I agree with this. The important thing is being there, whether you have sent flowers or what you are wearing really is irrelevant.

Social Fund loans are for essential items. The clothing provision is primarily for claimants that do not have any clothing due to having to leave their home in an emergency, or those that have had significant size changes for medical reasons.

McKneff

You certainly dont have to have formal suits, trousers to attend a funeral.
It doesnt matter these days. Normal every day clothes are acceptable.

elsien

If you really want to get something you think is suitable, try the charity shop.
I'm guessing that in the unlikely event the social fund would pay up, the process takes so long that by the time it came through the funeral would be long gone.

AsknAnswer

You are very unlikely to get help for these items. The Social Fund will help with clothes, but not for "occasional clothing". The Social Fund assists with necessery expenses only, and a budgeting loan can take a number of weeks to receive a decision, dependent on their case load - they won't shift anyone to the top of the pile, as everyone is in the same position awaiting a decision. The Social Fund will help with the cost of a funeral, but only if you are responsible for paying the bill (among other things). You might be able to get a community care grant for travelling expenses to a relative's funeral.

In regard to the flowers, I'm sure a bargain boquet from the supermarket would suffice, with some pretty ribbon tied around it and a heartfelt message attached. You could also make your own wreath but buying some poly (whassit called) and using flowers from the supermarket/your garden. I did this when a close relative died, because if I paid for a wreath, I would not have eaten that week - they are very expensive. It is the feeling that is put into these things rather than how big and fancy they are, or how much they cost. In regard to clothing, try freecycle or the charity shop, perhaps?

DX2

cloverfan wrote: »

Hi does anyone know if i could apply and get any help for clothes and flowers for attending a funeral?? i am in reciept of income support

Sorry to read in another thread that your dad has passed away.