Emergency Limited Assistance Scheme

• Income Support.
• Income based Job Seekers Allowance.
• Income related Employment and Support Allowance, or
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit only).
• Has claimed, or is in receipt of, Universal Credit but is experiencing financial hardship.
  
  AND
  

• You require support to stay in the community
  

• Or you are being resettled into a new home by the council. Or a voluntary organisation following an unsettled period in your life
  

• Or you don’t have enough money to meet your (or you family’s) immediate needs after an emergency or crisis.
  

If you wish to apply for support from the Emergency Limited Assistance Scheme you must complete an online application form. If you have difficulty accessing or completing the on-line form you can speak to an advisor in the contact centre: 0151 934 3377Applications will only be considered from Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.

Whenever possible, decisions on applications for help with the costs of food, goods for infants/children, gas, electricity or emergency travel will be made before the end of the next working day. Decisions on applications for assistance with furniture or essential domestic appliances will be made within 5 working days.

Awards for help with the costs of food, and emergency travel will usually be paid in the form of a voucher. If awarded food or emergency travel you will be given details, over the telephone,  of how to collect your award; food support is provided at one of the local foodbank distribution centres.

If you are awarded gas/electricity  these are now being awarded via a new SMS voucher scheme, whereby you will be sent a secure voucher code on a text message which can be redeemed at any of the retail network ‘Paypoint’ terminal across the borough.

The retailer will credit the award to your energy key or card, or their energy account (if a bill is presented).

Beds or essential domestic appliances will be provided; any domestic appliances that are supplied will be subject to a guarantee of up to 6 months. After this period it is your responsibility to arrange for the maintenance or repair of these goods. Further applications for white goods will not be considered within 3 years of the original award.

Typically, the Council will only make three awards to a repeat applicant in a period of 12 consecutive months, except for domestic appliances (see above).

You need to provide a contact telephone number on the application form so that a member of the team can contact you if necessary.

If you have applied for new benefits but are still waiting a decision - you must apply for a Short Term Benefit Advance from the Department of Works & Pensions. Contact the DWP helpline on: 0345/0845 6088545

Waiting for an increase to your existing benefits -you can apply for a Short Term Benefit Advance from the Department of Works & Pensions. Contact the DWP helpline on: 0345/0845 6088545

Difficulty in paying your rent or council tax - if so, you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment - phone Sefton Contact Centre on 0345 140 0845 for advice.

Recently had sanctions applied to your benefits resulting in your benefits being stopped or reduced? If so you can apply for a Hardship Payment from your local Job Centre Plus.

You may also be eligible for a budgeting loan from the Department of Works & Pensions. A Budgeting Advance can be used for: furniture, household items, clothing, footwear, rent in advance, removal expenses, home improvements / maintenance / security, travelling expenses etc. You need to contact your local Job Centre Plus for further information.

The Council takes the threat of fraud seriously. An applicant who tries to fraudulently claim by falsely declaring their true circumstances, providing a false claim or evidence in support of their claim, may have committed an offence under the Fraud Act 2006. All allegations of fraud will be investigated. Criminal proceedings or other sanctions may be applied in appropriate circumstances.

Information collected during the application process will be used to assess an applicant's claim. Information contained on the claim will be cross-matched with other data held by the Council for verification purposes.

In assessing a claim it may be appropriate to make referrals within the Council or to external agencies to provide advice or support.

The Council may also share data for cross checking purposes with both internal and external organisations for the prevention and detection of fraud.

You can ask for the decision to be reconsidered by writing to the One Stop Shop or by calling the Contact Centre helpline on 0345 140 0845. 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the reconsideration, then you may persue a complaint.

ELAS applicants requesting support with gas or electricity costs are now being awarded via a new SMS voucher scheme, whereby the applicant will be sent a secure voucher code on a text message which can be redeemed at any of the retail network ‘Paypoint’ terminal across the borough.

The retailer will credit the award to the applicants energy key or card.

We believe that this change will ensure that we can continue to support those vulnerable people in our communities and those affected financially by the pandemic, whilst also reducing any potential risk of spreading the virus by reducing footfall into the Council’s One Stop Shop(s) when they re-open.