Financial support for Former Relevant Care Leavers 18-25 years
You are a Former Relevant care leaver if:
- You are 18-25 and have previously been an Eligible or Relevant young person.
If at the age of 21 you're still being helped by Lancashire County Council with education or training then you'll remain a Former Relevant young person, until a maximum age of 25. What support you'll be receiving must be set out in your pathway plan.
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Young People who were Eligible or Relevant before age 18 are considered Former Relevant. However, what support could be available is based on your immigration and asylum status.
The table below is for Former Relevant care leavers aged 18-25.
For care leavers aged 21-25 support will be based on assessed need, which means what the Leaving Care Service think you need. Please ask your personal adviser for more information.
| Category | Age criteria | Our offer to you |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving Care Allowance while waiting for your first Universal Credit claim. |
18 |
£71.70 per week for 5 weeks while you wait for your first Universal Credit claim to be processed. This is for your first benefit claim only and available as long as you have not applied for an advanced payment from Universal Credit. Any further claims for Universal Credit can be supported by applying for an advanced benefit claim and your personal adviser can support you with this. |
| Photo ID |
16-25 |
Up to the age of 25, if you have no other form of Photo ID, we can support you to obtain a Provisional License. The funding for a Driving Licence as a form of photo ID, will be based on assessed need. A passport will only be funded if needed for a specific reason such as employment, training or travel. |
| Contact |
16-21 |
Funding to see family or significant others is based on assessed need. This can be discussed when you see your PA or when you do your pathway plan review with your PA. |
| Hobbies and Interests |
16-21 |
Funding to pursue hobbies or interests is based on assessed need. This can be discussed when you see your PA or when you do your pathway plan review with your PA. |
| Celebrations |
18-21 |
£25 for one religious/annual celebration each year for example this could be Christmas or Eid. £25 for the 19th birthday £25 for the 20th birthday £50 for the 21st birthday |
| Voluntary work |
16-21 |
£25 per week for a minimum of 5 hours voluntary work based on assessed need. |
| Interview clothes |
16-21 |
Up to a total of £100 for interview clothing based on assessed need. |
| Driving lessons |
17-25 |
Funding for up to 20 driving lessons if there is a clear link to a future career or employment. You will be expected to contribute 10% towards the lessons. Funding for one theory test and one practical test will be provided. |
| Rent or bond |
16-25 |
Based on assessed need and outlined in your pathway plan, your first rent/bond deposit will be funded to secure accommodation for independent living. If you haven't received this prior to age 21 then this financial support can be accessed up to age 25. |
| Rent top up |
18-20 |
We can provide up to 20% of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rent top up, this will be based on assessed need and where you have demonstrated that you can maintain a tenancy. |
| Starter Pack |
16-25 |
One Starter Pack of £70 to provide financial support for food (£30), cleaning products (£10) and utilities (£30) when moving into independent living for the first time. |
| Setting Up Home Allowance (SUHA) |
16-25 |
Funding to buy essential furniture and household goods. If you turned 18 on or after 1 April 2023 your Setting Up Home Allowance is £3,000. If you turned 18 between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2023 your Setting up Home Allowance is £2,250 and you can request an additional £200 for items such as carpets when moving into social housing. If you turned 18 before 1 April 2019 your Setting Up Home Allowance is £2050. You can access your Setting Up Home Allowance up to your 25th birthday. Ask your personal adviser for more information. |
| Removal costs |
16-25 |
Removal expenses for up to 2 changes of address. If you are living with a partner only half the removal fee will be paid. This will be based on assessed need. |
| Council Tax Grant |
18-25 |
If you are living independently and are responsible for Council Tax, we provide a Council Tax Grant, to pay for Council Tax based on assessed need. It is your responsibility to apply for any Council Tax support that maybe available to you depending on your circumstances. You must inform your Leaving Care Service within 5 working days of any changes of address or contact details, or any correspondence you receive regarding your Council Tax. |
| Work Wear |
16-21 |
Funding to buy essential work wear based on assessed need. |
| Travel to work |
16-21 |
Funding to commute to a new place of part-time or full-time work for up to 4 weeks based on assessed need. |
| Part time training or education |
16-21 |
£25 per week when accessing part-time training or education if you can't get a bursary, for a limited period of time, based on assessed need. |
| Transport to education or training |
16-21 |
Funding to pay for transport to education or training if no other funding is available, based on attendance. |
| PEPSA for support into education, employment or training |
16-25 |
Personal Education Plan Support Allowance (PEPSA) is funded by Lancashire Virtual School and is financial support to help progression, this is limited and based on assessed need. Ask your social worker or personal adviser to see if you can access it. |
| Higher Education Bursary |
18-25 |
The university bursary is funded by Lancashire Virtual School and paid over a 3 year period on an academic basis. The total value of the bursary is £3,000 which is paid in 3 instalments of £1,000. This is a one off bursary. |
| Vacation accommodation |
18-25 |
Financial support to pay for vacation accommodation such as Christmas, Easter and summer breaks (22 weeks per academic year). Rent will be based on assessed need in line with the Local Housing Allowance in the area that you are staying. |
| Graduation ceremony |
18-25 |
£50 for expenses related to your graduation ceremony. |
| Graduation Bursary |
18-25 |
Graduation Bursary of £3,500 when you successfully complete your first undergraduate studies. |
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