How to apply for a
Budgeting Loan
Easy
Read
Our reference: BL2ER 05/22
Contents
Introduction
Page 4
2
How to apply
Page 6
3
After you apply
Page 11
4
Getting your loan money
Page 15
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Page 2
Contents
If you disagree with
our decision
Page 18
5
Page 3
Introduction
A Budgeting Loan is money you can
get from the Department for Work and
Pensions.
Because it is a loan, you have to pay
this money back.
Budgeting Loans are repaid from your
benefits.
The loan is to help pay for essential
things or services.
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This information will tell you:
• How to apply
• What happens after you apply
• How to tell us about a change of
circumstances.
It also tells you what you can do if
you do not agree with our decision.
For more Easy Read information on Budgeting Loans, go to:
www.gov.uk and search for Budgeting Loans Easy Read.
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How to apply
You can apply for a Budgeting Loan:
• online
• by post.
You will get a quicker decision on your
Budgeting Loan by applying online.
To apply online, go to: www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits/how-to-apply
then select ‘Apply online’.
When you apply, you can ask to get
your decision by:
• text message
• letter
• email.
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Applying by post
You can apply for a Budgeting Loan
using a paper form.
To get an SF500 form, go to:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/budgeting-loan-claim-form
You can fill in the SF500 form on your
computer, mobile phone or tablet then
print it off.
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You should get your decision quicker
if you select text message or email.
Or you can print a blank form and
fill it in with a pen.
Remember to sign your form with
a pen before you post it.
Where you post your printed form
to depends on where you live in
the country.
To find the correct postal address for where you live, go to:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/budgeting-loan-claim-form
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If you cannot print the claim form
If you are not able to print a claim
form, you can ask the Social Fund
Enquiry Line to post a form to you.
You can contact the Social Fund
Enquiry Line by:
Telephone: 0800 169 0140
Textphone: 0800 169 286
Welsh Language: 0800 169 0240
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If you cannot hear or speak on the
phone, use Relay UK:
18001 then 0800 169 0140
Relay UK used to be known as Next
Generation Text (NGT).
If you are deaf and use British Sign
Language you may be able to use the
Video Relay Service (known as VRS).
To use the Video Relay Service, go to:
www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits/how-to-apply and select the link for the
Video Relay Service.
The Video relay Service line is open
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
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After you apply
Once you have applied for a
Budgeting Loan, we will tell you if
you can or cannot get a loan.
If you asked for a decision by email
or text message, you will get this
within 7 days.
If you asked for a decision by letter,
we will send this within 21 days.
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If you can get a Budgeting Loan, you
need to ‘accept’ the decision before
you get the money.
How you ‘accept’ your decision depends
on how you applied.
If you applied online
If you applied online, you will get
a text message or email telling you
what to do.
You can accept your decision online, go to:
www.apply-budgeting-loan.service.gov.uk/decision/application-reference
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If you applied by post
If you applied by post, you can accept
the decision by letter.
We will send you an acceptance
letter in the post, along with your
decision letter.
To accept your loan offer, please sign
page 4 of your acceptance letter.
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Return this in the prepaid envelope
that has been provided.
We will also send a reply slip for your
acceptance letter. You need to make
sure you fold it so the return address is
visible in the envelope window.
Do not send your letter to your local
jobcentre. This might delay you getting
your Budgeting Loan.
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Getting your loan money
Once you accept your loan offer, the
Department for Work and Pensions will
pay your money.
They will pay the money into your bank,
building society or credit union account.
When you get your money depends on
how you accepted your loan offer.
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If you accepted the loan offer online,
you will get your money within 7 days.
If you accepted the loan offer by post,
you will get your money within 21 days.
If you gave us your mobile phone
number, we will send you a text
message when we pay the money
into your account.
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Reporting a change in your circumstances
If your circumstances change,
it is very important to tell the
Department for Work and Pensions
as soon as possible.
You may be struggling to repay
your loan due to a change in your
financial circumstances.
Contact the social fund enquiry line to
discuss this. Their contact details are on
pages 9 and 10 of this book.
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If you do not agree with our decision
If you do not agree with our decision,
you can ask us to look at it again.
You may disagree because:
• We said you cannot get a loan, and
you think that is wrong
• You can get a loan, but you do not
agree with the amount.
You can write a letter telling us why
you do not agree with your decision.
Please send your letter to the address
on your decision letter.
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Your request for a review must arrive
within 28 days of the date on your
decision letter.
If you would like to talk to us
about your decision, you can call
the Social Fund Enquiry Line:
0800 169 0140.
You will get a letter telling you if the
decision has changed or not, and why
the decision has been made.
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If you are still unhappy with the
decision, you can ask the office of
the Independent Case Examiner
for a review.
To contact the office of the Independent Case Examiner, go to: www.gov.uk
Search for ‘Ask for a Budgeting Loan review’.
For more information online, go to: www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits
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