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Emergency assistance

East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s emergency assistance scheme aims to help residents of the East Riding who are in need at a time of crisis.

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the government have made available a limited amount of funds for residents of the East Riding who are in need at a time of emergency or crisis. This money is to help support residents where they have had a reduction in their income as a result of coronavirus and urgently require assistance with food and essentials.  

Awards will be made where there is no alternative means of meeting the need, this includes help from universal credit and other benefits payable.

Apply for emergency assistance if you have had a change in circumstances due to COVID-19 that has caused a reduction in your income

Apply for emergency assistance here if you have had an interruption to your income that has not been caused by COVID-19

What is emergency assistance?

East Riding of Yorkshire Council's emergency assistance scheme aims to help residents of East Riding of Yorkshire who are in need at a time of crisis where they have had a reduction in income of at least 20% due to coronavirus, or if there has been an interruption to their normal income, or require assistance when establishing themselves within the community. 

What help can be requested?

Daily living costs 

Help is provided where the applicant has insufficient funds to afford essential items due to a reduction in their income or an interruption in their regular income, which includes:

  • food
  • gas/electricity
  • nappies for children aged 3 years and under
  • travel costs (for example, to pre-booked hospital appointments, place of employment).

Housing-related costs 

  • Rent in advance where the applicant is leaving residential/institutional care or has been accepted as homeless by East Riding of Yorkshire Council housing department and placed in Band 1-5
  • Removal costs where the applicant is moving within the East Riding area and falls into one of the eligible groups for household items. 

Household items/furniture  

Assistance is available to help vulnerable applicants live as independent a life as possible in the community. It is intended to complement but not replace the council’s duties and responsibilities for community care, or support provided by other Government or voluntary agencies.  

Assistance can be granted where the applicant is:  

  • leaving residential/institutional care or supported accommodation to live independently 
  • resettling in the community following a period of homelessness 
  • resettling in new accommodation due to domestic violence 
  • at risk of entering an institution or care home in which they will receive care 
  • moving to provide care for a person leaving residential care or at risk of entering residential care.  

Who is eligible for emergency assistance?

Emergency assistance may be awarded to an applicant who:

  • has their main residence within the East Riding of Yorkshire Council boundary 
  • is aged 16 or over and no-one receives child benefit for them 
  • is without the resources to meet their or their family's immediate short-term needs
  • is unable to afford basic household items and meets the prescribed circumstances
  • has had a reduction in their regular weekly/monthly income of 20% or more which is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. e.g. working hours reduced or employment ended.
  • has had a reduction in their regular weekly/monthly income of 20% or more that has been caused by COVID-19
  • had an interruption to their regular income. 

How do I apply for emergency assistance?

To apply for local emergency assistance please complete the relevant online application form below:

Apply for emergency assistance here is you have had a reduction to your income due to COVID-19

Apply here for emergency assistance if you have had an interruption to your income that is not related to COVID-19

If you are a current client of one of the following departments and organisations, please contact them to make an assisted application:

Trusted partners list (pdf 51kb opens in new window)

Can I apply over the Christmas period?

Applications will be processed as normal until the council's offices close on 24 December. 

The offices will re-open on 2 January for applications to continue.

We will be offering a skeleton service and processing applications for emergency loans only on 27 December until 12 noon. 

Any applications made after this time will be processed on 2 January.  

Applications should be made online using the buttons above. 

Payments will be made by PayPoint voucher only. If your application is successful we will issue you with a barcode via SMS text message or email. A barcode will be provided which can then be cashed at participating PayPoint outlets.  

Please note: ensure that when you are completing your application you provide us with a valid mobile phone number or email address, if this is not provided payment cannot be made.  

How will I receive any assistance I am granted?

There are two different methods that your assistance will be paid to you if your application is successful:

Faster payment by BACS

You would need to quote your bank sort code and account number in your application. Your payment will be available for withdrawal the day after your application has been approved. 

We can also make a faster payment to an alternative person you nominate in your application should you not have a bank account.

PayPoint outlet

If the faster payment method is not suitable, we make your payment through a barcode which can be issued via:

  • SMS text message
  • email; or
  • notification letter.

The barcode can then be cashed at participating 'PayPoint' outlets.

Your nearest PayPoint outlet can be found below:

Locate my nearest PayPoint outlet (opens in new window) 

My application was unsuccessful, can I appeal against the decision?

Should your application be unsuccessful, and you feel that the decision has been made incorrectly, you have the right to request we review the decision. 

A request for a review should be made within seven days of the date of the decision. 

You must provide an explanation for the reasons you disagree with the decision, and provide further supporting information or evidence. 

You will be notified of the outcome of the review within 48 hours, where possible. 

The outcome of the review is final. 

A review can be made by the following: 

Tel: (01482) 394799 

Email: welfare.assistance@eastriding.gov.uk

Can I apply more than once for emergency assistance? 

You will only be eligible to receive one award within a twelve-month rolling period.

Where else can I get help?

If you need further advice or support, contact details for a number of other departments and organisation are below: 

Directory of support (pdf 56kb)

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