Resident Support Scheme

Resident support scheme

Islington’s Resident Support Scheme provides support to residents facing severe financial hardship and in need of one off or temporary help with urgent living costs.

If you are an Islington resident in financial crisis read more about how this scheme may be able to help you.

If you are a voluntary or community sector organisation helping a client in crisis, you can refer residents to this scheme.

Resident Support Scheme

Islington's Resident Support Scheme brings together a number of funding streams - aimed at helping those in financial hardship - into one single pot, with a single application process. This makes it easier for residents in crisis to apply for help.

The scheme provides a safety net to Islington residents who find themselves in severe financial hardship and are unable to afford basic necessities or living costs.

It provides one off or short-term support to help in an immediate crisis and puts residents in touch with other support that can help in the longer-term.

What the Resident Support Scheme can provide 

• Crisis provision - grants in the form of vouchers to buy food and fuel (energy) for those in crisis
• Community Care grants - for vulnerable residents to meet the costs of purchasing or replacing essential household items
• Council tax reduction - a contribution towards Council Tax bill for those in exceptional circumstances
• Discretionary Housing Payments - some residents claiming housing benefit or housing support through Universal Credit may be eligible for support with housing costs. This could include help to meet any shortfall in rent as a result of Bedroom Tax, Benefit Cap or Local Housing Allowance, rent deposits, helps with removal costs

Who can apply

• Residents who are in severe financial hardship and who do not have access to alternative funding or savings may be eligible for an award.
• An award for crisis provision will not normally be paid if you are in receipt of a welfare benefit, including Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, IS and Tax Credits.
• Not everyone will be eligible – we will ask applicants a series of questions to see if they are eligible for help through the scheme. The operation of the scheme is at the Councils discretion and applicants do not have an automatic right to an award.

Applying to the scheme

Please contact your Housing Association or, for council tenants, your housing officer to discuss and complete an application form on your behalf.

If you are not a Housing Association or Council Tenant

If you are renting from a private landlord, please call Housing Solutions on 0207 527 6371 to ask for an application to the scheme to be made on your behalf.  

Partner organisations

Please check this dropdown list to see if there are other organisations that can help you to make an application from the scheme.