Each Job Centre Plus around the UK has a little-known Adviser Discretion Fund (ADF) which can provide Job Seekers with a grant of up to £300 in any 12-month period, to help cover the costs of transport, childcare, work clothes, tools and more (during the job search or to enable an offer of employment to be accepted) if an adviser believes it’ll make the transition back into work easier.
The cash can be requested for any reasonable expense yet no one has a right to the money and it’s completely at the discretion of each Job Centre Plus adviser.
Previously the grants have only been available to people who have been unemployed for six months or more, but now everyone claiming Job Seekers Allowance, or on one of the New Deal Schemes, is eligible from day one. For 2009/10 over £23 million has been set aside to cover the fund so if you think it’ll help you, speak to an advisor at your local Job Centre Plus.