No Recourse to Public Funds
Some people who may be experiencing poverty and deprivation or be destitute have an immigration status of ‘no recourse to public funds’. This does not prevent them from accessing help such as the Household Support Fund, debt, money advice or foodbanks, however government rules do mean they cannot claim certain benefits.
A person with no recourse to public funds is only excluded from claiming benefits that are classed as 'public funds' for immigration purposes. Therefore, a person with no recourse to public funds may be able to claim any other benefit if they meet the qualifying requirements.
Energy Bills Support Scheme (October 2022)
All households, including no recourse to public funds, with a domestic electricity connection will be automatically eligible for a £400 government grant through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The grant will be paid from October 2022. Households will not need to apply for the grant, as this will appear as an automatic credit on their energy bill from their energy supplier. The grant will not need to be repaid.
The Energy Bills Support Scheme is not a 'public fund' for immigration purposes. As the grant is being applied directly to all energy customers, it can be accessed by a person with no recourse to public funds.
Warm Home Discount
Eligibility for people with no recourse to public funds to the Warm Home Discount Scheme depends on an individual’s energy supplier. While it is not a ‘public fund’ for immigration purposes, the qualifying criteria for this year required an energy customer to be in receipt of a means-tested benefit. This meant people with no recourse to public funds were unable to qualify for a discount, unless their energy provider had chosen to include a criteria that included low-income customers who were not in receipt of benefits.
Household Support Fund
Redbridge Council is using the Household Support Fund to provide a basic safety net support to an individual, regardless of their immigration status, if there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution. Please visit Household Support Fund for more information. The Household Support Fund will end by March 2024
More information about the qualifying requirements for other benefits is available on GOV.UK. The following organisations can also provide information and advice about claiming non means-tested benefits:
Ilford Community Grocery
The Ilford Community Grocery was set up to bring affordable groceries to people in Redbridge. you can join this grocery for £5 a year and you can buy 12 items for just £4 supporting your food budget enormously. Pay them a visit and see if it is for you. The Community Grocery is located at 25-29 Clements Rd, Ilford. More details: https://communitygrocery.org.uk/ilford/