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Social Work vocabulary · Welfare and Benefits

Allowance

Meaning in social work, with examples

/əˈlaʊəns/nounCore term

In social work, allowance means: A regular sum of money paid by the state or an organisation for a particular purpose, such as caring, disability or education.

In Turkish: ödenek, aylık, yardım ödemesi

How it is used

Often part of a benefit's name: Carer's Allowance, Attendance Allowance, an education maintenance allowance. Foster carers also receive a fostering allowance to cover the child's costs.

Example sentences

  1. She gave up work to look after her son and now receives Carer's Allowance.

  2. The fostering allowance covers food, clothes and school trips.

Common collocations

  • claim an allowance
  • carer's allowance
  • fostering allowance
  • disability allowance
  • weekly allowance
  • benefitsMoney or other support paid by the state to people who are unemployed, ill, disabled, caring for someone or on a low income.
  • entitlementSomething, such as a payment or service, that a person has a legal right to receive if they meet the conditions.
  • carerA person, often a family member or friend, who looks after someone who is ill, disabled, older or otherwise in need of support, usually without pay.
  • claimantA person who applies for or receives a state benefit; in law, also a person who brings a claim against someone in court.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Welfare and Benefits

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