Over half a million people on income support have received interest-free budgeting loans averaging £214, nearly 400,000 have received interest-Free Crisis loans averaging £45, an 153,000 people in vulnerable groups or families under stress have been helped with non-repayable community care grants averaging £271.

In cases where a request is received for an amount above the £6 award, a specially trained social fund officer may decide that an application for an interest-Free Crisis loan, on top of the cold weather payment, should be invited.