Finance Support
Discretionary Support
Help if you need money for short-term living expenses or household items … read more
Social Fund Budgeting Loan
Help if you need money for essential household items such as furniture, clothing or footwear … read more
Universal Credit New Claims Grant
Help if you need money after making a new claim for Universal Credit … read more
Short-Term Benefit Advance
Help if you need money after making a new claim to benefit other than Universal Credit … read more
Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grant
Help if you need money towards the cost of maternity and baby items … read more
Discretionary Support self-isolation grant
Help if you need money while self-isolating due to COVID-19 … read more
More information
Video relay service
The video relay service (VRS) is a facility which allows people who use sign language to communicate by video, on a device such as a laptop, PC, mobile phone or tablet through a British Sign Language (BSL) or Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter.
- check that you can use the BSL video relay service
- check that you can use the ISL video relay service
- contact Finance Support Service via the video relay service
- the interpreter will check whether you require BSL or ISL
Contact from DfC
When you claim Discretionary Support, a Short-Term Benefit Advance or a grant from the Universal Credit Contingency Fund the Department for Communities (DfC) may phone you or send you text messages. The sender will always be clearly shown as DfC and they will never ask for personal information or financial details, or to click on a link to provide them.
If you are not sure about whether a text messages is from the Department of Communities (DfC) you should contact the Finance Support Service.
If you suspect you have received a fraudulent message as a scam, contact the Finance Support Service immediately.
You can get further information on scam calls, text messages and emails at: scamwiseni
Finance Support Service contact details
Phone: 0800 587 2750
Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm
The Department for Communities is experiencing a very high volume of calls, so it may take longer than usual to answer your call.
Review or appeal process
You may not have been given all the money you asked for. If this happens, you will get a letter explaining how you can have the decision reviewed.
If you disagree with Finance Support’s decision you can ask for a review by contacting them direct. You can still receive the amount you were awarded while you are waiting for Finance Support to review their decision.
Finance Support cannot reduce the amount you were awarded.