Emergency help: what to do if you can’t afford the essentials

It can be scary if you don’t have the money to cover essential costs.

To help you if you’re in this situation, we’ve pulled together a list of financial assistance and other types of support you may be able to get if you need cash urgently.

Emergency loans

If your situation is desperate, you may be tempted to take out a payday loan or even turn to a loan shark. We would urge you to avoid this, as it’s likely to make your financial situation much worse in the long run.

Credit unions or government-run schemes are a far better option.

Credit unions

A credit union is a financial co-operative that is owned and controlled by its members.

They provide low-interest loans, help people save and offer financial advice. You’ll need to become a member to take advantage of their services. Find a credit union in your area.

Emergency loans from the government

The government no longer offers crisis loans, but you may be able to apply for a budgeting loan instead. Budgeting loans exist to help pay for things like:

furniture
appliances
essential UK travel
maternity costs
moving costs
funeral costs

To be eligible, you need to have been getting one of the following benefits for at least 26 weeks:

income support
income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA)
income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
pension credit

Find out more, including how to apply.

Hardship payments

Hardship payments are for people whose benefits have been reduced or stopped. You need to pay them back. Contact your local Jobcentre Plus to apply if you’re on universal credit, JSA or ESA.

Benefit advances

If you’re struggling, you may be able to get an advance on a benefit payment.

Speak to someone at your local Jobcentre Plus to find out more.

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Emergency help from your local council

If you’re struggling to pay for the essentials, your local council may be able to help.

Welfare assistance schemes

Your local council may have a welfare assistance scheme to help if you need emergency cash or supplies. The support available varies from council to council, but you may be able to get a small loan, a grant, food vouchers or free second-hand furniture, depending on your situation.

England: Get in touch with your local council.

Scotland: Find out if you can apply for a crisis grant or a community care grant through the Scottish welfare fund.

Wales: You might be able to apply for help through the discretionary assistance fund.

Northern Ireland: You may be able to apply for help through the Finance Support Service.

Household support fund

All local councils in England have been given money as part of a government scheme called the household support fund. This money has been set aside to help people struggling with the rising cost of living. Each council decides how best to spend that money, but it’s there to help with essentials such as:

gas and electricity
broadband and phone bills
clothing
essential transport costs such as repairing a car or paying for fuel
furniture e.g. children’s beds

Get in touch with your local council to find out what support is available in your area.

The scheme is currently due to end in March 2024.

Apply for a grant

If you’re struggling to pay for essentials, you may be able to get a grant that you won’t have to pay back.

Turn2Us is a charity that provides information and practical support to people in financial difficulty. They’ll match you with any grants you may be able to apply for.

Emergency help with rent

If you can’t pay your rent, contact your landlord or letting agent. Tell them why you’re struggling to pay the full amount and see if you can come to an arrangement.

They may allow you to pay less for a while if your money issues are short-term and you’re able to agree a payment plan to make up the shortfall.

Your landlord isn’t obliged to temporarily reduce your rent or agree to a payment plan but speaking to them is the best place to start.

If you’re claiming housing benefit, or the housing element of universal credit, you can also apply for a discretionary housing payment (DHP) to help with rent costs.

Your council will decide whether to give you a DHP, how much you’ll get and how long you’ll get the payment for.

graphic of house with calculator and coins

Emergency help with mortgage payments

Contact your mortgage provider if you’ve missed any payments or you’re worried about future payments.

Many lenders will have specialist support teams with different options you can choose such as a payment holiday, an interest only mortgage or a longer mortgage term.

Lenders have an obligation to try and help customers who are struggling. Options they may offer include:

a payment holiday
increasing the term of your mortgage
switching you to interest-only payments

Emergency help with utility bills

If you need help paying for energy right now, contact your supplier. They may be able to give you emergency credit. It’s worth asking, even if you’ve had emergency credit before. But be aware this is a loan, so you’ll need to pay it back.

Some energy providers also offer grants to help people struggling to pay energy bills.

If you’re a prepayment customer, you may also be able to get fuel vouchers from your local council. Contact your local council to find out more.

Similarly, if you’re struggling to pay your water bills, contact your supplier. Most water suppliers have hardship schemes and put money into trusts that help people facing severe financial difficulties.

It’s a good idea to have details of the money you have coming in and all your household expenses to hand when you get in touch.

Emergency help with food costs

If you can’t afford to pay for food, you may be able to get emergency supplies from a food bank. It’s also worth checking you’re claiming any regular help that’s available with food costs e.g. free school meals.

Food banks

Food banks give people who urgently need help a few days’ supply of food, toiletries and baby items. They can also provide vouchers for gas and electricity if you’re on a prepayment meter.

The Trussell Trust is a nationwide network of food banks. You’ll need to be referred by a local community organisation such as Citizens Advice or your GP. Contact your local food bank to find out how to get help.

The Independent Food Aid Network can also tell you if there are any independent foodbanks in your area.

Free school meals

If you’re on certain benefits, your child might be able to get free school meals. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply.

woman with shopping cart thinking about bills

Emergency help with baby costs

If you can’t afford to buy the essentials you need for your baby, it’s worth seeing what help you can get from your local baby bank.

Baby banks

If you’re struggling to pay for essentials for your baby, a baby bank may be able to help.

They provide things like clothes, toiletries, formula, nappies, wipes, toys etc.

Just like foodbanks, you’ll need to be referred to get help. You may be able to get a referral from your midwife, support worker, health visitor, food bank, children’s centre or social worker.

You can find your local baby bank by:

Ongoing support with baby costs

If you’re on a low income, it’s a good idea to check out what regular support is available to help with baby costs. If you’re pregnant or have at least one child under four, you may be able to get help through the Healthy Start scheme.

Once you’re signed up, you’ll get a card that’s loaded with credit. This can be used in supermarkets to pay for formula, milk, and fruit and veg. The card is topped up every four weeks while you’re eligible.

In Scotland, you might be able to apply for the Best Start Foods scheme for children under three.

Emergency money if you’re at risk of homelessness

If you’re currently homeless or at risk of being made homeless in the next eight weeks, get in touch with your local council. They’ll look at emergency and temporary housing options for you and anyone under your care.

If they recognise you’re at risk of homelessness, they must sort out emergency housing. To find out if you meet the criteria, check what help you should get on Shelter’s website.

Emergency money if you’re suffering financial and/or domestic abuse

If you or your children are in immediate danger, call the police on 999. If it’s not safe to speak while you’re on the phone, dial 999 followed by 55.

If you need emergency cash due to financial abuse, the help available depends on where you live in the UK:

If you live in England, you might be able to claim welfare assistance from your local council.
If you live in Wales, find out if you qualify for an emergency assistance payment.
If you live in Northern Ireland, you may be able to get help from the Finance Support Service.
If you live in Scotland, you might be able to get a crisis grant.

If you’re suffering from domestic abuse but not in immediate danger, you may be able to get additional benefits and support.

Find more advice and help on leaving abusive situations safely.

Emergency money for young people

Most people under 18 can’t claim benefits, but there are some exceptions. If you’re aged 16 to 18 and urgently need money, you may be able to get certain benefits, grants or other financial support.

Care leavers

If you’re a care leaver, social services are responsible for your maintenance, accommodation and support. If you’re struggling to pay for the essentials, contact social services to see how they can help.

Ill or disabled young people

You may be able to claim universal credit. You might also be able to claim personal independence payment (PIP) from your 16th birthday.

Young people with a child

If you have a child, you may qualify for child benefit.

Young people in work

If you’re looking for work, in work, or in education, you may be eligible for universal credit.

Young people with housing costs

If you’re under 18 and need help towards your rent, you may be able to claim universal credit.

Are you receiving all the benefits you can?

If you’re in need of emergency cash, it’s a good idea to check you’re claiming all the money you’re eligible for.

Use our benefits calculator to find out if you’re missing out.

Looking to borrow money to pay off other debts?

When you have debts with lots of different companies, it may be tempting to take out a debt consolidation loan. But it’s rarely a good idea to deal with problem debt by borrowing more. If you’re struggling to stay on top of your debts, before you do anything, you should get help from an expert.

Our free debt advice is available online or over the phone. We’ll go through your finances in detail and explain your options. You might be surprised at the range of help available. We can:

check you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to
help you with budgeting
advise you on debt solutions

There are various debt solutions available that will reduce your monthly debt repayments and even write off some of your debt. We’ll let you know if any of them are suitable for you. All our advice is free. Some debt solutions are free, some aren’t.

We’ll give you all the information you need to make an informed decision and, if we recommend a debt solution and you decide to go ahead, we’ll help get it set up.