Money

Financial support is different for everyone depending on what you need. Your personal adviser will talk through this with you on an individual basis, using the care leavers financial regulations.

The financial regulations are currently under review to make sure that they offer everyone what they need, and so our financial offer may change in the future.

We will try to help you financially by:

• giving you a leaving care grant of up to £2,000, to help you buy essential things when moving into your own home
   
• paying your council tax up to the age of 21, once all relevant benefits are considered
   
• providing or tell you about relevant money management courses
   
• supporting you to access your junior ISA or child trust fund
   
• supporting you to open a bank account
   
• supporting you to get your important identification documents, such as a passport and/or provisional driving licence, before your 18th birthday
   
• supporting to get your National Insurance number
   
• offering exceptional financial support in emergencies
   
• giving you a financial gift at birthdays and Christmas or other celebrations

Claiming universal credit

We work in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), to support you to plan and claim universal credit.

Your personal assistant will work with you to prepare your universal credit claim and support you to attend an interview with an identified DWP representative. There is a 5-week delay in receiving the first payment, but we will support you to access the government loan, which will be received from your 18th birthday onwards.

Additional information for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC)

If you are an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child in the care of the local authority you will be supported to make your claim for asylum and to access an immigration solicitor who is able to claim legal aid to support you with your claim.

Your carer or allocated worker will help you to attend your appointments with the Home Office and your solicitor and will attend with you if you would like them to.