Scheme purpose and start date
Purpose of the scheme
The Essential Living Fund (ELF) is primarily intended to help vulnerable people live as independent a life as possible in the community.
Its prime objectives are to:
- help people establish in the community following a stay in an institution, care home, local authority care, hostel, prison or similar
- help people remain in the community rather than enter an institution or care home in which they will receive care
- ease exceptional pressures on people or their families
- help people with certain travel costs
- help people who are unable to meet their immediate short term needs either in an emergency in relation to some expenses or as a consequence of a disaster
- help children with school uniform costs
For more on each of these, see the explanation on our Eligibility page.
Start date of the scheme
The ELF scheme has been effective from 1 April 2023.