Money for those on a low income can often be hard to come by. If you are without a job, a single parent, a student, senior a disabled person or an artist there are options to get extra help with your income.
In today’s world, there are a number of programs available to those who struggle to earn a living. People with disabilities can receive employment assistance from companies that offer disability employment services. This could help them find a suitable job based on their skills. Similarly, students can earn a side income while studying through internship programs. Furthermore, people with low incomes can receive government benefits, charity grants, and corporate grants.
Government Benefits
Your number one source for help when suffering on a low income is to see what government benefit programs and loans you may qualify for. There are several government-funded programs that you can avail of to help you financially. Be it for healthcare, housing loan, or modern necessities like phone service (see this resource to learn more), the first thing you ought to check is what government policies you would qualify for.
You can also look at the Job Seeker’s Allowance and Income Support. If you are actively seeking for work, are between 18 and pensioner’s age, are not a full-time student, work less than 16 hours per week and your partner also works less than 16 hours per week you would qualify for a benefit to help you look for work. If you are not signed up for JSA, you may alternately qualify for Income Support under pretty much the same conditions.
Two other benefits include a Carer’s Benefit, if you spend at least 35 hours per week caring for someone you may qualify for a government payment benefit, even if you are not related to the person. If you are mentally or physically disabled there are a number of government benefit programs to help you gain at least some financial means. These government benefit programs are meant to provide a minimum living standard, often considered ‘low income’. If you are on one of these programs, there are many other ways to get extra help to avoid financial calamity when emergencies happen or to help you in specific endeavours, such as a grant.
Charity Grants
A grant is different than a government benefit, in that it is meant to help you through a specific problem and is not ongoing. A grant is also a monetary gift and does not require repayment like loans or other debt instruments. Before you seek financial credit, checking to see if there is a charity grant available for your situation is a wiser course of action.
Small charity grants in your area can be one of the easiest places to get small grants to help you through your personal crisis. Often these charities offer help for childcare costs, heating costs, transportation issues, food items, clothing and many other immediate need concerns. The website Turn2us provides a one-stop search for charities that may be able to help you. Visiting a local charity is your next best option. The amount of grants varies per charity and per situation, but with so many offering this type of help you will be hard pressed to exhaust their services.
There are other grant giving organizations as well. If you are an artist or musician in the UK, the Arts Council gives National Lottery Grants throughout the year, the Home Improvement Agency helps the elderly care for their homes including repairs, renovations and upkeep and the 3H Fund helps disabled children or adults to get a short vacation break.
Corporate Grants
There are also thousands of corporate grants, bursaries and charity giveaways that can aid families, individuals or children in specific situations from educational bursary programs, holiday food grants and job-specific retraining opportunities.
If you are suffering from a low income or no income there is a three-pronged search process that you need to start. Start by researching government benefits and grants; then charity grants and lastly corporate grants to see how you can get help out of your situation.
