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Date updated: 3/05/2023

This scheme provides in-kind support wherever possible, rather than cash grants, and may be available to you if you are experiencing a crisis or an emergency.

This scheme aims to support and assist those

  • experiencing a crisis or an emergency
  • being resettled into the community following a period in institutional or residential care
  • needing support to prevent them from entering institutional or residential care
  • families under exceptional pressure
  • setting up home as part of a planned resettlement

Types of support available

  • High street vouchers
  • Food vouchers
  • Fuel payments
  • Second hand furniture
  • Refurbished white goods
  • A handy-man service
  • Removals and storage service
  • Emergency travel
  • Daily living expenses
  • Clothing/bedding
  • Tenancy deposit/rent in advance

We will meet any other eligible needs not listed here by providing an item in-kind or providing a voucher for a relevant shop.

How to apply

To be considered for any support you must be 16 years of age or over and currently live in the City of London, or have recently been housed by the City of London on one of our estates. You must also be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

  • Bereavement Benefit
  • Carers Allowance
  • Employment & Support Allowance
  • Housing Benefit
  • Incapacity Benefit
  • Income Support
  • Industrial Death Benefit
  • Industrial Injuries Benefit
  • Jobseekers Allowance
  • Maternity Allowance
  • Pension Credit
  • Tax Credits
  • Universal Credit
  • Widows Benefit

To see if you qualify for this type of support, choose one of the options that best describes your situation from the City of London Emergency Support Scheme website. This service is provided by Lambeth Council on behalf of the City Corporation.

 If you need help completing the application form please contact City Advice.

If your application is successful

We will send you a decision letter, by email or post - depending on the information you provide - stating how your award will be made and what to do next.

We will make a decision on whether to award your application based on your eligibility and your reasons for applying. We aim to make a decision about your application within 24 hours for crisis support and 72 hours for community support

You do not qualify for this type of benefit if:

  • you have received an award of crisis support under the Emergency Support Scheme within the past six months
  • you have received a Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Budgeting Loan for the same items requested in the past 12 months
  • you have received an award of community care support from the Emergency Support Scheme within the past 12 months
  • you are seeking support for an excluded item
  • you are an excluded person, such as a person in a hospital, care home or prison (unless you are about to be discharged in the next two weeks)
  • you are eligible for a short-term benefits advance or hardship payment from the DWP
  • you have received a Care Leavers Grant or Section 17 grant for the same items within the last six months for a crisis, or 12 months for a community care need
  • you are subject to immigration control and are not claiming a qualifying benefit People subject to immigration control can only claim crisis support in a disaster situation

Do you need help filling in a form or accessing a computer?

If you or someone you know needs access to a computer to make a claim, our lending libraries offer free access to computers, wifi, scanning and low cost printing/photocopying to make sure everyone has equal access to the support that is available to them. They can also offer basic IT skills support and can help you fill in forms.

You don't have to be a member (though we encourage you to sign up) and you can just turn up on the day to use the services. Visit the wifi, computers and printing page for more information.