Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS)

Eligibility

To apply to the Scheme you must have lived in Cambridgeshire for at least six months, unless you have fled to the area for your own safety. (Please note that EU clients will need to have at least applied for Settled Status to access CLAS)

You must be facing hardship or under exceptional financial pressure. 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 (£17,005 for 2022/23)

However, if your income is higher than the low-income threshold but you are struggling to make ends meet, the CLAS team may be able to help in other ways.

Information and Advice

Anyone enquiring about CLAS will be eligible for an initial triage – this is a conversation to find out more about your situation and  work out what help would be best for you.

Contact your local Citizens Advice in Cambridgeshire – either  Cambridge and District Citizens Advice Bureau or Citizens Advice Rural Cambridgeshire. They will arrange to meet with you to find out more or if you prefer they can talk through by phone.   John Huntingdon’s Charity are also offering this service in the Sawston area.

Following this the worker will help identify what best meets your need and link you up to  the relevant services including grant help if that is what is needed.

The Help in Crisis section on this website has been put together by the CLAS project.  It includes a list of grant making trusts and Food Banks in the area which organisations can look into when accessing help for their clients.

How do I apply?

You can apply to the scheme by contacting your local CAB in Cambridgeshire. If you rent from a housing association or your local authority please ask if they can help as some of them offer a referral pathway to CLAS

Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire

To self-refer to the CLAS scheme please call the advice line

0344 848 7979 (Monday – Friday 9.00 to 5.00pm)

Depending on urgency and appointment availability, clients will be assessed at the time or given and appointment for a call back

NB: clients will be required to:
✓ Complete an initial assessment
✓ Provide proof of income/benefits to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria.
✓ This information must be supplied before an award is granted.
✓ Clients should be encouraged to have documents available at the time of call.
Proof can be submitted via email by sending a scanned document or photo – the adviser will provide you with these details at the time of call

East Cambs, Fenland & Huntingdonshire
Professionals and clients can call the FREE advice line 0808 278 7807 (Monday – Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm) – professionals must obtain client’s consent if they are requesting a call back on their behalf.

Depending on urgency and appointment availability, they will be assessed at the time or given an appointment for a call back
Phone assessors at CARC will submit CLAS applications to the CLAS Lead for sign off.

NB: clients will be required to:
✓ Complete an initial assessment
✓ Provide proof of income/benefits to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria.
✓ This information must be supplied before an award is granted.
✓ Clients should be encouraged to have documents available at the time of call.
Proof can be submitted via email by sending a scanned document or photo – the adviser will provide you with these details at the time of call

If you live in East Cambs and would like to apply to CLAS please follow this link to the East Cambs Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme for more details

If you live in the Sawston area you can also enquire about CLAS at John Huntingdon’s Charity

You will need to provide proof of eligibility, for example your benefits letter, such as Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, bank statement.

Awards will be made subject to an initial assessment. If a CLAS award is appropriate, you will need to provide documentation proving your eligibility before it can be successfully processed.

CLAS Awards

Before making a grant award the CLAS Champion will have a detailed conversation with you to make sure they have understood your situation. If a CLAS award is appropriate this will be one or more of:

• Recycled white goods and furniture
• New cookers
• Energy vouchers
• Supermarket vouchers (food and clothes – only in emergencies)