A scheme providing emergency funding for vulnerable resident in crisis will be launched in Croydon next year.

Government changes mean the Department for Work and Pensions will no longer provide community care grants and crisis loans, from April 2013.

These are payments that help people whose needs are not met from their regular income, or who face financial difficulty following an emergency or disaster.

The funding for the awards will now be allocated to councils to introduce their owns schemes based on the needs of residents.

Croydon Council is proposing to introduce the Croydon discretionary support scheme (CDS).

The criteria states claimants must be in receipt of out-of-work or disability benefit and either live in the borough or have been placed by the council in temporary accommodation outside the borough.

Payments will only be made where CDS is the only way in which serious hardship or risk might be avoided.

Claimants will need to provide evidence of their need for example, why they have no money or why they have no food.

Where possible, payments would be made in a form that meets the claimants needs, such as food vouchers or pre-payment cards.

Councillor Sara Bashford, cabinet member for corporate and voluntary services, said: "This scheme is about providing emergency support for the most vulnerable residents in Croydon at a time of crisis, where they have no access to any other form of support.

"While the council is not required to introduce such a scheme, we felt taking no action would put additional financial pressure on other council services and could leave residents at risk."