This is a scheme designed to help you pay large expenses that are not covered by normal benefits. The Social Fund is run by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The Social Fund for Older People

The Social Fund is split into two sections:

The Regulated Social Fund

The Regulated Social Fund covers:

The Discretionary Social Fund 

The Discretionary Social Fund covers:

However, unlike the Regulated Social Fund, the Discretionary Social Fund has restrictions on the amount of money that is available each year and each award must follow a strict set of guidelines.