Financial support and assistance for 18 to 25 year olds

Care experienced support (18 to 25 year olds)

We will support to get important identification documents, such as a:

• birth certificate
• passport (we will also support you to renew your passport so that you have a valid passport at least until age 25)
• if you are eligible for the introduction to driving package, we will help you to obtain a provisional driving license
• a citizenship card if needed as a form of ID

We will provide information on how to access your Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund at age 18.

Accommodation costs

We can help by:

• providing a deposit and rent in advance if you need private rented accommodation up to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for the specified area and in circumstances where social housing isn’t available or appropriate
• acting as a guarantor where this is required, to act as a guarantor we would need to check any liability issues for both you and the local authority and ensure any liability is assessed, approved and managed
• acting as a guarantor for university accommodation, if required

Setting up home allowance

We will provide support when you move in to semi-independent accommodation or independent accommodation via a ‘Setting Up Home Allowance’ (SUHA) of up to £3499.50 (2024/2025), this can be accessed in stages and between the ages of 16 and 25 and includes:

• up to £169.50 for your first TV licence
• up to £110 to make sure your cooker and electrical equipment is fitted by an approved person
• up to £110 for your first years contents insurance
• up to £110 to cover removal costs
• up to £3000 for equipment in your home

We will support you to spend the SUHA in stages, so that you have most of it available when you move into unfurnished accommodation.

We will also support you with a contribution towards bills and the cost-of-living of £180 over six months when you move into independent living (for the first winter you are responsible for your own bills).

Council tax

You will get 100% discount on your council tax bill.

The discount will be applied after any other discounts such as sole occupier discount have been applied. Where there is shared liability for the council tax due, the discount will cover the share that the care experienced young person is liable for. Your council tax liability (after helping to apply for any council tax support) will be paid on a quarterly basis until your 25th birthday. Your PA will support you with this.

Driving lessons and test

If you're aged between 17 and 21, then we can provide an introduction to driving package of:

• a provisional driving licence
• two theory tests
• a theory test resource (booklet or app)
• 10 (one hour) driving lessons
• two practical driving tests

To qualify for the package we will expect you to contribute to 10 lessons so that you have a set of at least 20 lessons, we will also require you to have no driving convictions.

The package can be used for a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) programme if it is needed to help with education, training or employment.

Education, training, employment and apprenticeships

We can support with education, training, employment and apprenticeship activities including:

• up to £50 for stationery
• up to £75 for educational visits (up to £150.00 if including overnight visits)
• up to £100 for books, equipment and IT equipment
• all young people entering a level two course or about will have access to a laptop, notepad or computer of up to £800 (£960 if Cumberland purchase the computer and can reclaim VAT)
• a prom allowance of £200 so that you can take part in a school prom

We will support you to access the apprenticeship bursary (£3000 and £1000 equipment provided by the apprenticeship provider).

Attending university

If you want to attend university we will provide approximately £5,500 per year depending on accommodation costs including:

• up to £50 for stationery
• up to £75 for educational visits (up to £150 if including overnight visits)
• up to £100 for books, equipment and IT equipment
• a laptop, notepad or computer of up to £800 (£960 if Cumberland Council purchase the computer and can reclaim VAT), if not accessed previously
• a £2000 Higher Education bursary spread across the whole course (three or four years)
• the cost of three return visits to university and your home area
• a £71.70 per week living allowance
• a vacation accommodation allowance – equivalent to the one bedroom local housing allowance rate for the university area or university accommodation (22 weeks)
• support to cover the UCAS application
• a graduation ceremony grant of £300
• a graduation grant of £500 to help with the transition from university

Postgraduate studies

If you want to undertake post graduate studies we will provide approximately £5,500 per year which includes:

• a postgraduate stationery, books, equipment and IT equipment grant of up to £225
• a postgraduate living and accommodation grant of £90 per week
• a graduation ceremony grant of £300
• a graduation grant of £500 to help with the transition from university

Open university courses

If you want to undertake an open university course we will provide:

• an initial stationery, books, equipment and IT equipment grant of up to £225 and then provide two further stationary, books, equipment and IT equipment grants on completion of each 120 credits/modules
• a Higher Education bursary of £2000 over the length of the course made up of 9 payments of £222.22 each, the second and subsequent part being released on completion of 40 credits
• on completion of the course a graduation ceremony grant of £300
• a graduation grant of £500

Your social worker, personal adviser or carer will explain the detail of the allowances to you and will explain what may be required of you to access the support.

We will also provide financial support and crisis support in exceptional circumstances and in emergencies subject to assessing what you need.