There are a number of criteria that you must meet in order to be eligible to apply for a budgeting loan. One of the main criteria is that you have to be on one of a number of different benefits and you must have been claiming that benefit for a period of 26 weeks, or half a year. Your application will also depend on whether you owe any other money to the Social Fund, whether you have any savings, and what you need the money for.
The good news is that a budgeting loan from the DWP is offered to those that have been claiming incapacity benefit for 26 weeks or more.
Please note that no new Incapacity Benefit claims have been accepted since the end of January 2011 and individuals should now be claiming the Employment and Support Allowance benefit instead. In many ways this is a change of name and if you are claiming Employment and Support Allowance and have been for 26 weeks or more then you may be entitled to apply for a DWP Budgeting Loan.
Complete a budgeting loan application form and submit it to your local Jobcentre Plus office to have it reviewed. The process is quick and simple, and you should have a decision within two weeks of applying.