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Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme

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Support in a crisis or times of hardship

Sometimes families and individuals need help and advice,

  • about making their money go further
  • to move on from a difficult situation

A local assistance scheme helps families with:

  • money
  • debts
  • how to become financially resilient.

Unexpected financial difficulties

Cambridgeshire’s Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS) supports people facing unexpected financial difficulties. A partnership of local charitable organisations led by CHS Group manage CLAS.

The scheme provides:

  • information
  • advice
  • discretionary assistance.

This enables those eligible to:

  • improve their immediate financial position
  • cope and better support themselves
  • use relevant resources to succeed in the long term

This could include:

  • low cost re used and refurbished household items
  • clothing
  • food vouchers.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must have lived in Cambridgeshire for at least six months. You can also apply if you have fled to the area for your own safety. To apply to the Scheme you must have no savings and receive one of the following means tested benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
  • Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit

If you are working, your total household must be below the HMRC low income threshold (£18,725 for 2023/24).

What to do next

You can apply through your nearest Citizen Advice Bureau:

For further details on the scheme, and how to apply, visit Making Money Count website.

Making Money Count offers:

  • self-help information on money
  • being online
  • finding work and renting.

The information is reliable, practical and easy to follow. Cambridgeshire in partnership with West Norfolk and Peterborough deliver the scheme. We want to help make life fairer for everyone.

Making Money Count offers information for people who need help in a crisis. This include information on emergency helplines and local foodbanks.