Community Care Grant?

PrincessDonna2009

Hi Everyone

I need some help! I was advised by someone to apply for a CCG on the following basis and my personal needs:

I suffer with anxiety and depression, BPPV (Vertigo disorder) and currently on Income based JSA. I have a partner who is living with me. We live in a council flat and we have recently just moved in and have hardly anything at all. We are currently sleeping on a mattress on the the floor, we have no carpets anywhere in the flat and it is very cold and also the flat is plain and needs decorating etc....

With all this it is making me worse, health wise as it is causing my anxiety to be worse over all the worrying etc... Also we are not getting proper meals as we have nothing to cook on, only a old microwave which was given to us...I mentioned it to our council after them stating they don't do housing grants and advised me to apply for a CCG.

I have now nearly completed the forms and put the following things we need as we haven't got:

.Cooker
.Carpets (we just have concreate floors, which are cold)
.Sofa (Sitting on the floor at the moment)
.Curtains
.Bed (Sleeping on a matress on the floor at the moment)
.Paints for decorating.
.Cookery items (As we only have 2 plates etc..)

I was just wandering if anyone knows if we will get awarded anything. Also how much approx will we get, this comes up to nearly £1000. Can anyone tell me of the experiences with a CCG?

Just need to some advice please as I am worried and it's starting to get me down as it, living like we are doing. I know there are people in worse circumstances then ourselves and we are grateful we have a place over our heads...

Many Thanks in advance

Donna

alwaysonthego_2

I really do not think you will be entitled to a CCG instead you should apply for a budgeting loan

CAB wrote:

Budgeting loans

Budgeting loans can help with essential lump sum expenses which are difficult to budget for when you are living on means-tested benefits. Budgeting loans have to be paid back to the social fund, but they are interest-free. This means you only have to pay back the amount you are awarded. You won't get a budgeting loan just because you are eligible to apply. The decision will be made following a review of your circumstances.
Who can apply for a budgeting loan

You can apply for a budgeting loan if you are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Pension Credit on the day that you apply. In addition, you must have been on one of these benefits for at least 26 weeks. Breaks of 28 days or less in your claim will be ignored.
You cannot receive a full budgeting loan if you or your partner have more than £1,000 in capital (£2,000 if you or your partner is 60 or over). If you have capital above this amount, your budgeting loan award will be reduced by the amount of excess capital.
What expenses can a budgeting loan be made for

A budgeting loan can only be awarded for essential items or services in certain categories of expense. You can apply for a budgeting loan for help with furniture and household equipment, clothing and footwear. You can apply for help with rent in advance or removal expenses to new accommodation. You can apply for help with the costs of improvement, maintenance and security of your home. You can apply for help with essential travelling expenses and expenses associated with getting or starting a job. You can also apply for a budgeting loan for help with hire purchase payments and other debts, if the money was borrowed for expenses in any of the other categories.
Before you apply for a budgeting loan, you should check whether you are able to apply for a community care grant, or entitled to a maternity grant or funeral payment, as these grants do not have to be repaid.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits/help_for_people_on_a_low_income_-_the_social_fund.htm#community_care_grants

If you have a computer and internet connection you should join freecycle and advertise a 'wanted' post for what you need.

PrincessDonna2009

I am not entitled to a Budgeting Loan, as I have recently moved over to Income based JSA from Contributions based. Does the 26 weeks still get carried over from contributions when you go onto income based?

What is freecycle?

MissMoneypenny

PrincessDonna2009 wrote: »

What is freecycle?

Freecycle http://www.uk.freecycle.org/ and freegle http://ilovefreegle.org/ are where people give away (for free) items they don't need anymore. Like the items you need.

Bladesfan09

The following information is probably of no help to you as our cirumstances are very different but I was released from prison at the end of may with basically just the clothes on my back and I was advised to apply for 2 ccg's, one straight away for basic clothing and one when I found a place to live for basic furnishings such as a bed,fridge,cooker and pots and pans. I made my first claim straight away for - 1 pair jeans £25, 1 pack of 5 t shirts £15, 1 pack of 5 boxer shorts £10, 1 pack of 5 pairs socks £10, 1 Jumper £10, 1 coat £25 and 1 pair trousers (for interviews and such) £15, 1 Shirt (for same as trousers) £10 and 1 pair of shoes £20. Thats £140 in total of which i recieved a payment of £50!!!!.
When I got a flat I made another application for a fridge, cooker, bed and pots pans and crockery, this claim amounted to £230 and I recieved the sum total of NOTHING.
As I said your cicumstances are very different to mine and having a health issue will i'm sure aide your claim but from my own experience of CCG's it's like trying to get blood out of a stone.
I hope you have more luck than I did.

PrincessDonna2009

Thanks for your advice.

I have heard it's like getting blood out of a stone, but I supposed they only have so much money in the pot lol

dmg24

I agree with always, your circumstances do not fit those which meet the CCG criteria. Freecycle is probably your best bet.

PrincessDonna2009

DMG- Freecycle is looking less of a option as just read up about you have to collect yourself, well I don't have a car or can't drive so that's me out the question unless someone happens to have something right close to me lol

Thanks everyoe for the advice, really appreciate it

Oldernotwiser

Jumble sales are usually excellent for cheap china, pots and pans. They're usually very local, although you might find someone on Freecycle who would deliver for the price of the petrol.

If you can't get a full cooker cheaply enough you can cook most things with an electric ring and a microwave.

daska

PrincessDonna2009 wrote: »

DMG- Freecycle is looking less of a option as just read up about you have to collect yourself, well I don't have a car or can't drive so that's me out the question unless someone happens to have something right close to me lol

Don't give up on Freecycle, Freegle etc just yet. I've found that people who are committed to the principles of recycling are often very helpful when it comes to finding a way to get the item to you. Obviously not all of them can help but it's worth an ask. Also, depending on the mods some allow posts asking for a borrow or help with an activity and some don't.

The other avenue to explore is whether there is a local furniture recycling scheme, ask your local council and/or housing associations whether they know of any.

Siobhan1

I was receiving IS when I was placed into my council house. I applied for a CCG as I have absolutely nothing, not even a mattress to sleep on. Me and my son had to sleep on my friends sofa for about 6 weeks as my house was empty.

I had to apply for everything. My total came to over £3000. My friend who works for dwp said they usually use Argos basic prices, although many was telling me they use second hand prices to calculate prices. I was given £1600 altogether, which helped me to buy the basics I needed for my house. This was over a year ago.

A friend of mine moved into her house about 9 months ago and applied for a CCG grant got nothing! She has two young children as well and they gave her nothing. She appealed and they told her she was not a 'priority'. I have absolutely no idea as to why she has been told this. Still to this day her house is quite empty. She has to save her IS and tax credits to buy items for her house.

Another friend of mine then moved into her council house 4 months ago and applied for a CCG grant. She too told me her total came to over £3000. She received £600. She appealed and still did not receive anymore.

As you can see what you can receive differs. If you are not awarded things you perceive as essential you do have the option to appeal, whether or not they will take it seriously is another matter. Also, when you get your letter of decision and you don't agree, get some advice from your local CAB.

Good luck!