Emergency help to get a Fridge/Freezer

Shamish

Hi,

My sister's fridge/freezer just stopped working and everything's defrosting going off

She's needing a new one but cant afford it as she's only on benefits.

I thought the social fund gave out crisis loans/grants for stuff like this?

She tried phoning them but they've said they dont help for anything like this.

Thanks

Shamish

thesaint

I can't remember the criteria, but I am inclined to believe them. It is not a necessity to have a fridge/freezer.
She may be able to pick up a 2nd hand one for £35-£40

Alleycat

She could try for a budgeting loan. I am surprised the Crisis Loan people said no though.

Could any family help out at all? Even if she is able to get a budgetting loan, at least all her food wouldn't go to waste while she applies.

Bogof_Babe

She should join her local Freecycle group and ask if anyone has one they no longer need.

In the short term, would any of her neighbours help out with storing her food, or if all else fails perhaps she could share it around them, rather than waste it. I bet they would offer her some money for what they had.

Shamish

thesaint wrote:

I can't remember the criteria, but I am inclined to believe them. It is not a necessity to have a fridge/freezer.
She may be able to pick up a 2nd hand one for £35-£40

Yeah have tried for one got offer of a £50 one second hand but she cant afford it right away

Shamish

Bogof_Babe wrote:

She should join her local Freecycle group and ask if anyone has one they no longer need.

In the short term, would any of her neighbours help out with storing her food, or if all else fails perhaps she could share it around them, rather than waste it. I bet they would offer her some money for what they had.

We've got as much stored as possible for her at the moment It's just travelling to here and back to get the food

Have asked on freecycle we're both members so fingers crossed

Shamish

Alleycat wrote:

She could try for a budgeting loan. I am surprised the Crisis Loan people said no though.

Could any family help out at all? Even if she is able to get a budgetting loan, at least all her food wouldn't go to waste while she applies.

Yeah she's going down to ask again tomorrow and why they said no you'd think a fridge/freezer would be classed as a crisis :S Surely you cant be expected to live on tinned food espicially with a kid.

changkra

Is there any way family could club together to buy a second hand one and arrange for her to pay back so much a week from her benefit? Or do you have a family like mine where you have to fight to get every penny back off them? ( and I'm talking a lot more than £50)

Shamish

changkra wrote:

Is there any way family could club together to buy a second hand one and arrange for her to pay back so much a week from her benefit? Or do you have a family like mine where you have to fight to get every penny back off them? ( and I'm talking a lot more than £50)

Yep we're able to help her though it's too late now as the place is now shut. But she wanted to try and get one herself

Jo_F

I had to ask for a crisis loan a few years ago and was told that a fridge was not an esential item as you can buy fresh food each day.

They didnt give a solution as to how you were supposed to be able to keep milk fresh.

sambo31

Tell her to phone her social security office and asked to be put through to social fund they will send her the forms for budgeting loan in post 2 days later and they are really easy to fill out as now you will get about 5 boxes to tick think they are to pay hp back household items clothing and help with moving. The ammount they give you all depends on how many children you have what things you pay out weekly such as catalogues loands etc and that you must have been in reciept of benefits for 26 weeks think the maximum ammount they will pay out is £1.500 altogether the process takes about a week for you to be accepted and then they will transfer the money into her bank account.


I applied for a loan 2 months ago so this is how i know.