I have been told that my client is not eligible to apply for a budgetting loan (or crisis loan/community care grant)due to the fact he is on IB, rather than IS or JSA, and despite the fact that the need is genuine (to replace a broken cooker).

Does anyone know if there is an alternative fund that my client can access instead?

Whereas it is correct that only recipients of IS or JSA(IB) are eligible for budgeting loans and community care grants, your client is not necessarily excluded from a crisis loan. If your client is "without sufficent resources to meet the immediate short-term needs of himself or his family" (Direction 14) he may qualify for a CL. Despite the fact that providing him with a cooker would meet a long-term need he could still also have short-terms needs.

You write that you have been "told" he is not eligible. Is this just the usual DWP gatekeeper turning away possible claimants from the social fund? Your client has an absolute right to make a CL claim. If the office won't give him a claim form, download one from the DWP website. If the claim is refused, ask for it to be looked at again and be prepared to take the case to independent review.