Hi,
I tried for a crisis loan the other day for a client who has missed a jsa interview 6 weeks ago. It looks like the claim was closed down. Subsequently, the chap applied for JSA online and noted down the reference number. The next day we applied for the crisis loan and the decision maker refused the claim because she could not be sure that a claim for JSA had been made and she was unable to trace that the JSA claim had been made online - I said that we had the reference number of the online claim but that the contact centre had not rang for the telephone appointment and JSA interview at JCP.
The DM refused the claim on these grounds - I would like to make a complaint - any advice welcome. Thanks Stuart

social fund inspectorate can be very helpful - worth a phone-call.

The independent review service website contains lots of info on social fund - the following is from the myth busters section
"Myth
You cannot have a crisis loan if you do not get / have not claimed benefit because you will not be able to repay it.

Fact
The Decision Maker cannot award a crisis loan in excess of the amount you are likely to be able to repay. This is the last consideration, after eligibility and qualification have been established.

It does not follow that someone who is temporarily without income will not have the means to make repayment for the foreseeable future. Crisis loans may be repaid over up to 104 weeks, so most people would have an income from which to repay the loan before the end of that time."