Find Support

Benefits and financial support — Northern Ireland

nidirect portal for support relating to work, disability, families and low incomes.

Benefits calculators — GOV.UK

Official guide linking to free independent benefits calculators; eligibility and amounts are not determined by PublicHelp.

Bereavement Support Payment: help after a partner dies

Payments that may help people following the death of an eligible spouse, civil partner or partner.

Check benefits and financial support

Government signposting service to check what help may be available.

Cost of living support — Wales

Welsh Government information on bills, housing, benefits and local help.

Cost of living support (England)

Official GOV.UK hub covering help with bills, income and living costs.

Council Tax Reduction Scheme — Wales

Income-related help with Council Tax bills, assessed by the local authority.

Council Tax Single Person Discount — Wales

A 25% Council Tax discount where only one adult counts as resident, subject to defined disregards.

Crisis and Resilience Fund: local emergency help in England

Councils in England offer local support with essentials, including food, energy and some housing costs.

Discretionary Assistance Fund — Emergency Assistance Payment

Non-repayable emergency support for essential food, energy and urgent travel costs during a financial crisis.

Discretionary Assistance Fund — Wales

Welsh Government rules for emergency assistance and help with essential household items.

Discretionary Support — Northern Ireland

Official nidirect information on emergency financial support.

Electrical Industries Charity · check-provider

Electrical Industries Charity — Financial Assistance

Case-assessed emergency relief and financial guidance for eligible workers and former workers in electrical and energy industries and qualifying household members.

Application: contact

Family Action · check-provider

Family Action — Welfare Grants Programme

Support towards essential household needs for people who meet the charity’s conditions and receive qualifying means-tested benefits.

Application: referral

Glasspool Charity Trust · partner-only

Glasspool — Flexible Frontline Fund

Practical household grants are distributed via a selected network of frontline organisations to people and families facing financial hardship. This is not a direct individual application programme.

Application: partner

GroceryAid · check-provider

GroceryAid — Financial Grants

Financial support for eligible people who work or previously worked in the UK grocery industry and face hardship.

Application: direct

Licensed Trade Charity · open

Licensed Trade Charity — Financial Grants

One-off hardship support for people with qualifying experience in the licensed hospitality trade (generally five years) or eligible household family members. Start with the charity helpline.

Application: contact

Musicians Union · check-provider

Musicians Union — Benevolent Fund

Limited hardship grants for Musicians Union members with qualifying consecutive membership, assessed through a regional office.

Application: contact

Railway Benefit Fund · open

Railway Benefit Fund — Central Fund

Grants towards priority debts, essential household goods, deposits, disability adaptations and other approved needs for eligible railway workers, former workers or dependants. Lightning Reach assessment required.

Application: direct

Retail Trust · check-provider

Retail Trust — Financial Aid

Means-tested financial aid for eligible current or recent retail and associated-sector workers, subject to employment-history criteria and provider assessment.

Application: direct

Royal British Legion · check-current-opening

Royal British Legion — Crisis grants

One-off essential items, vouchers and practical assistance in a crisis for eligible members of the Armed Forces community. It is not a general cash payment scheme.

Application: contact

Royal British Legion · check-current-opening

Royal British Legion — Individual grants

Grants and advice for eligible serving and former members of the UK Armed Forces community and their families. An online application may be available for everyday essentials; other requests need contact with the helpline.

Application: direct

Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity · check-provider

Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity — Submarine Family Benevolence Grants

Targeted benevolence assistance for current and former Royal Navy submariners and their families, potentially including financial hardship, medical needs and essential items. Apply or enquire through the charity.

Application: contact

Smallwood Trust · partner-only

Smallwood Trust — Community Grant Partners

Support for women in financial hardship delivered through selected community grant partners. Smallwood Trust does not operate a general direct individual grant application process.

Application: partner

Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Advice NI

Independent advice network in Northern Ireland covering benefits, debt and money.

Royal connection recorded · Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Army Benevolent Fund

Welfare support for soldiers, veterans and their families, subject to the charity’s criteria.

Royal connection recorded · Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

British Red Cross

Practical crisis assistance and other support services, subject to programme and geographic availability.

Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Citizens Advice

Independent guidance and signposting on benefits, housing, debts and other issues; local services vary.

Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Citizens Advice Cymru

Independent advice including benefits and cost of living support in Wales.

Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Citizens Advice Scotland

Advice and support through Scotland’s Citizens Advice network.

Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Family Action – Welfare Grants Programme

Essential household items for qualifying households; applications must be submitted by eligible referring organisations. Some priority areas currently paused.

Organisation, not necessarily a grant fund

Glasspool – Flexible Frontline Fund

Grants to support people facing financial difficulty, delivered only through selected frontline organisations. Individuals cannot apply directly.

Breathing Space: debt respite in England and Wales

Breathing Space may provide temporary protection from some creditor actions for qualifying people.

Crisis and Resilience Fund: local emergency help in England — practical guide

Councils in England offer local support with essentials, including food, energy and some housing costs.

Debt advice: free support and repayment options

Free impartial advice can help you assess debt and prioritise essential bills.

Discretionary Support in Northern Ireland

Discretionary Support may offer a grant or an interest-free loan for exceptional short-term needs.

Emergency assistance in Wales

The Welsh Discretionary Assistance Fund can help some people in emergencies or when setting up a home after serious hardship.

Family Fund: grants for families with disabled children

Family Fund provides grant programmes for families raising disabled or seriously ill children.

Financial help for grocery workers: GroceryAid grants

GroceryAid offers grants for eligible people working or previously employed in the grocery sector.

Find charitable grants without paying a fee

Charitable grants can sometimes help with essential goods, household needs or a specific personal circumstance.

Crisis and Resilience Fund in England

Councils offer locally administered crisis and housing support from April 2026. Detailed availability and applications depend on the authority.

Next step: Find your council and ask about Crisis Payments

Help to Save

A government savings account may be available to people who meet the qualifying Universal Credit and earned-income rules.

Next step: Check eligibility and open an account if suitable