Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead Local Welfare Provision grants

The council can provide grants or pre-paid cards to individuals on a low income as part of the Local Welfare Provision. This is a discretionary support system that was created to help the vulnerable in the community. Government funds are used for housing, rent or gas bills as well as other needs.

Funds are limited, and the council provides aid solely at its discretion. Each request will be reviewed by the council, and there will be limits put on individuals that receive help. In the past, families or individuals have used the funds to pay their landlord for rent that is due or fuel supplier any arrears on their electricity bills. Applications are provided by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Housing Benefit department, and the telephone number is 01628 683800. Completed applications can be mailed to the post of Local Welfare Provision, RBWM, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1RF.

Anyone that needs help should first ask their fuel supplier for a payment plan. Or if they are leasing a home, the tenant should enquire with their landlord or housing association for help. If those do not work, then any grants from the Local Welfare Provision are a last resort, and people should have engaged with other organisations first, such as Citizens Advice Bureau, local charities or Social Services.

The funds are also for individuals on a low income with a local connection to the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. Priority is also for those on a welfare benefit, including Pension Credit, Employment Support Allowance, and others, such as disabled or families with children.

Uses of grants in Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

Cash is rarely paid out by the scheme, and loans will also sometimes be issued. In most cases, applicants will instead be provided a grant to use for their needs. It can be for paying utility bills, such as gas from October to April. Other costs paid may be rent arrears or other housing costs.

All these funds are limited from the government, and any assistance provided is at the discretion of the council. Sometimes a pre-paid card is also used due to limited funding. If the Borough can’t help, the signposting is provided to other charities or local schemes for these fuel programmes.

The support is for a one off crisis, and the applicant needs to address the cause of the problem with their social worker. So grants are for crisis situations only, such as people faced with a threat of homelessness or having their heat shut off. The applicant can’t also have any other funds they can use to pay their bills.

Housing assistance is another solution that is part of the council’s discretionary housing payment, which is also provided by the council. This is meant to pay rent in an emergency to prevent homelessness. The aid is to prevent evictions in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.

The payment will not usually pay for a rental deposit, but there are other schemes that can help with that cost. So people from Windsor that are homeless can receive assistance for moving into a private accommodation as the council aims to help the vulnerable with their housing needs. Read more deposit schemes.

Individuals can also find out more on the Community Care Grant, which is for special situations, such as ex-offenders leaving prison, the elderly, or sick. This is provided in close partnership with social workers or other government organisations. The person needs to be moving from institutional care, on some form of government benefit and over the age of 16 as well as on the path to independent living. These applicants also need to be out of options for funding and down to the last resort before seeking help from the grant.

Any help from the Local Welfare Provision or any programme above is limited. It is based on central government funding and is only a last resort. It is so limited that if the applicant falsified information on their application, or has funds from other sources, then the money will need to be repaid to the council and they may also take legal action on the individual. Call 01628 683800 or drop in at the council to learn more.