Apply to review a decision about a welfare grant

If you have applied for a Crisis Grant or Community Care Grant and you don't agree with our decision, we may be able to look at this again for you.

On this page:

How to ask for a review

Submit a written request to scottishwelfarefund@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

You need to do this within 20 days of the original decision and let us know:

the reason you would like a review
the date of the original decision
any changes in your circumstances since the decision.

The request for a review needs to come from you, as the person who applied. If you have asked someone else to help you with this, you need to make it clear that you give consent for them to request this on your behalf.

Reasons to review

We can review the decision if you disagree with our decision:

about your eligibility
the priority given to your application
the level of support given.

Or because you don't think we had enough information or evidence to make a decision.

Unfortunately, we cannot review the decision where we don't have enough budget to help and there are other people who are in greater need.

About the review process

Step 1: First tier review

We'll look at your application, the evidence you gave us and any new information that you have given us. We'll then decide if we were right in our original decision or if we should award the grant or change the details of what we awarded.

We'll let you know the result of our review within the following time limits:

Crisis Grants - two working days
Community Care Grants - 15 working days.

Step 2: Second tier review process

If you are still unhappy with our decision you can ask the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to review the decision. The SPSO are independent of the Council.

Asking for an independent review

During the Coronavirus outbreak, you should ask the SPSO for a review online. You must wait until you have received our decision on the First-tier review before contacting the SPSO.

Time limits on asking for an independent review from the SPSO

Ask for an independent review within one month of receiving our decision on your First-tier review. If more than one month has passed, contact the SPSO for advice. They may still be willing to look at this for you.

Renfrewshire Council