Emergency assistance

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 there has been an interruption to their regular income, or require assistance when establishing themselves or remaining 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 an interruption in their regular income, which includes:

• food
  
• pre-paid gas and electric meters 
  
• travel to pre-booked hospital appointments.
  

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 compliment 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 at the date of application: 

• has their main residence within the East Riding of Yorkshire Council boundary for a minimum of one month; and 
  
• is aged 16 or over and no one receives child benefit for them; and 
  
• is without the resources to meet their or their family's immediate short-term needs; or 
  
• is unable to afford basic household items and meets the prescribed circumstances
  
• has not received emergency assistance or a local welfare assistance award in the previous 12 months.
  

How do I apply for emergency assistance?

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

Apply for emergency assistance

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 Tuesday 24 December 2019. 

The offices will re-open on Thursday 2 January 2020 for applications to continue.

We will be offering a skeleton service and processing applications for emergency loans only on 27 December 2019 until 12 noon. 

Any applications made after this time will be processed on 2 January 2020.  

Applications should be made online using the 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 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 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: 

Telephone

Tel: (01482) 394799 

Email 

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 opens in new window)