Home essentials in a crisis
If you, someone in your household or someone you are supporting currently receives Child Tax Credits then you have until 31 July 2020 to renew your claim. If you haven't received a renewal pack or renewed your Child Tax Credit claim yet then you can renew online.
If you do not renew your tax credits by 31 July your payments will stop and you may be asked to pay back any overpayments from April 2020.
Coronavirus service update
If you have received a letter from the NHS advising you that you are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition and are part of the shielded patient list, you or someone else on your behalf will be able to register online with the national government to request the support needed.
If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing support networks, you can contact the Kent Together either complete their request form or call 03000 419292. It is a 24 hour service. Find out more about Kent Together and how the a collaboration between KCC, central government, district, borough and local councils, the voluntary and community sector, the NHS, emergency services and other partners are coming together to ensure help is at hand for vulnerable people in Kent.
About our service
Our Kent Support and Assistance Service (KSAS) may be able to help you if you are having serious difficulties managing your income due to a crisis or if you are facing exceptional pressures because of an emergency.
Additionally, we may be able to help if you or someone in your household is returning to the community after living in supported housing, an institution or a care setting. If your application is successful the support offered will be goods and/or services. We do not give money.
We offer our help for a short time only if you have no other means of support.
Except in exceptional circumstances, we can only offer help 3 times in a rolling 12 month period, and we will not help for the same reason more than once.
Wherever possible we want to help you stay in (or move back into) your local community.
Our service is a discretionary service that offers support where it can. However, there are circumstances where we won't provide assistance. Examples of these circumstances include:
- the replacement of broken items
- continued or long term support where we have already provided assistance
- where our baseline criteria are not met (see 'who is eligible' below).
Please read the 'other places to get help' information below for further guidance on the support that is available across Kent.
Before you apply we'll expect you to have claimed any national benefits, grants and loans which are appropriate to your situation.
Your local district council may also be able to help you if you need help paying rent or rent in advance through a Discretionary Housing Payment.
You must have spoken to a benefits or Job Centre Plus advisor about the following before applying to us for help:
If you have had your benefits stopped as a result of a Department for Work and Pensions sanction we will not be able to help you unless exceptional circumstances apply.
If you are not eligible to receive benefits in the UK, we will not be able to help you.
Find other organisations in your area who can help and support you.
To make an application, unless in exceptional circumstances, you must:
- be aged 16 or over
- live in Kent (if you pay your Council Tax to Medway Council you will need to contact their local welfare provision scheme)
- live on a low income or receive a means-tested benefit
- have no access to savings or support from other sources.
Providing evidence
We will ask for evidence of your benefits and savings, and we may also ask for things like:
- proof of any reasons you give for needing help (such as unusual expenses)
- proof of your earnings if you are working
- proof of signed tenancy/new address/moving date if you are asking for furniture items.
Apply
To ask for our help:
- apply online (if you are applying on behalf of someone else, please do not log in to complete the application)
- visit one of our gateways or your nearest Citizen's Advice Bureau.
To complete the application you will need:
- your National Insurance number
- details of anyone who lives in your house, including their National Insurance number(s)
- details of your income and that of your partner or other adults living with you (this includes benefits payments and any income from employment).
Once you have applied for help from us, we will contact you with information on agencies that may be able to help you in your situation long-term and enable you to manage your financial crisis. We will then tell you if we are able to provide the items you need, and explain how we will get the goods to you.
If we can't help you, we will explain why and tell you about your right to ask for a review of your situation. We will also let you know where you can go to get more advice or information.
Appeal a decision
If we have declined your application within the last 7 days and you feel the decision should be reviewed, you can appeal in the following ways:
If you have an account
Log in and appeal against a declined application
If you don't have an account
We don't offer money. We can provide essential home items such as:
- groceries (for up to 7 days)
- baby food, milk and nappies
- furniture (beds and seating)
- crockery
- bedding/curtains/carpets
- essential electrical appliances (fridge, cooking appliance, washing machine)
- clothing
and help with:
- utilities (prepayment gas and electric, for up to 7 days)
- emergency travel arrangements via public transport (for example to flee a crisis)
Most of the home items we provide will be secondhand.
These are just some of the situations under which we may offer you help. They are just examples and should not be used to decide whether or not you are eligible for our help. If you aren't sure, please contact us.
- You are under JSA sanction and you have a child under 5 in the house
- Your ESA has been suspended and you have already made an appeal
- Your CTC has been stopped due to a change in your circumstances
- You are waiting for a new benefit claim to come through
- Your money has been stolen or you have lost it
- You have spent your money on hospital travel
- You are fleeing domestic abuse
- You have left care
- You have left prison and used your discharge money for travel
- You are no longer homeless/on the street
- You are a victim of fire or flooding
If we cannot offer help or you need more help, you can try the following:
Food
You can try your local food banks or the Salvation Army. If you have children under 5, you can also try your local children's centre for both food and clothes.
Clothes and furniture
You can try the Salvation Army, Freecycle, Gumtree, local Facebook selling pages or your local charity shops. If you have a social worker involved with you or your family, they may look into trying Family Fund with you.
Power and utilities
Speak to your provider first to see if they can offer emergency credit. The British Gas Energy Trust may be able to help, or the Salvation Army.
Hospital travel
Speak to your GP and ask about patient transport. You can also see if you are eligible for the NHS Travel Scheme.