IMPORTANT INFORMATION

PLEASE READ THIS PAGE BEFORE APPLYING

The Local Assistance Scheme (LAS) provides:

• Sheffield Independence Grants to support Sheffield residents with independent living
• Sheffield Crisis Grants to support Sheffield residents in a crisis situation 

These grants do not have to be repaid.

SHEFFIELD INDEPENDENCE GRANTS

Sheffield Independence Grants can be awarded under these criteria:

• Returning to the community from care
• Preventing a move into care
• Following a resettlement programme after an unsettled way of living
• Individuals and families experiencing exceptional pressures
• Looking after someone on temporary release from prison

We can also award for help with travel under these criteria:

• To ease domestic crisis
• To visit separated children pending a court decision
• To move to suitable accommodation
• To visit a sick relative or friend
• To attend a relative's funeral

If assistance is provided for removal costs, this will be paid directly to the removal company via BACS transfer.

Applications can take up to 15 working days to process (not including weekends or bank holidays).

If an award is made for a washing machine or either a gas or electric oven and you do not live in a Council tenancy, you will need to make your own arrangements for installation.

SHEFFIELD CRISIS GRANTS

A crisis, means an event of significant or sudden misfortune.

A change of benefits, a reduction in benefits, or a delay in receiving benefits, is not considered as a crisis for the purposes of the Sheffield Local Assistance Scheme.

Applications can take up to 2 working days to process (not including weekends or bank holidays).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

To consider your application, you must be over 16 years of age, live in Sheffield and have insufficient income to meet your basic needs.

We may ask you to provide proof of any benefits received and/or bank statements for the last 3 months in order for us to consider your application.  These can be provided in person, by post or via email.  Please see the contact details for LAS at the bottom of this page.

If you are asked to provide proof of benefits or bank statements and you do not provide these within the processing time-scale of your application, it will be rejected.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your application, you may request a review of the decision.  Review requests should be submitted in writing by post or email within one calendar month of the date on the decision notice.

For more information about the scheme, please go to www.sheffield.gov.uk/localassistance

FRAUDULENT APPLICATIONS

The Council, to ensure that limited resources are most effectively used to meet need, is committed to taking action against fraudulent claims for assistance. Where the Council is satisfied that the Applicant has made a fraudulent claim, for example by falsely declaring their circumstances, providing a false statement or evidence in support of their application, it will take appropriate action, including prosecution.