Grants for Individuals
Non-statutory cash grants available for individuals experiencing hardship in the UK.
For information about charitable cash payments and their effect on benefit entitlements please see Turn2Us and EntitledTo
UK-wide Hardship Grants
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Grants to support people experiencing financial hardship that have no restrictions on who they can help. The small grants are used for getting over a short time crisis. You can apply for funds for white goods, essential household items, baby needs, and more. Glasspool grants cannot be applied for by the client directly, they must go through a third-party organisation that operates in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland. Examples include statutory organisations that provide a health care, social care or advice service or citizens advice bureaux.
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Al-Mizan Charitable Trust: General Welfare Fund
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The General Welfare Fund provides small grants up to £500 to individuals, regardless of their faith or cultural background, who are in financial hardship or need, because of poverty, deprivation, or disadvantage. Funding is available for a range of goods and services that would better the beneficiary’s circumstances and situation, and help them break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. To be eligible to apply, you must be living in the UK and have British citizenship.
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Grants to support the most financially excluded, with additional weight given to applications from those with caring responsibilities. You can apply for funds for white goods, basic living expenses, work or education related expenses, rent arrears or Council Tax arrears, or contribution to immigration costs. Applications need to be made by a recognised social organisation on your behalf, and funds are only available to UK residents.
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Helps individuals in need with one-off grants to relieve poverty for education, health, housing, disablement or disability.
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For more hardship grants: This Transformation Cornwall list is updated frequently with UK funds for individuals in need (With thanks to Jane Yeomans)
Regional Hardship Grants
The Catholic Children’s Society (Plymouth)
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Funds available for essential grants to families living in the Diocese of Plymouth who are struggling as a result of Covid-19.
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The Emily Bolitho Trust (Borough of Penzance)
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Administered by Cornwall Community Foundation to support the wellbeing of individuals, especially those faced with hardship through poor health or low income living within the old borough of Penzance including Gulval, Mousehole, Paul, Newlyn, Ludgvan, Marazion and Madron.
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Jack and Ada Beattie Foundation - Tons of Help (London and Birmingham)
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Grants of £100 for individuals to support essential and basic needs. Recipients will remain anonymous and their personal details never be published across any of our marketing or to donors.
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Warm and Well Cornwall (Cornwall)
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Support to help people stay warmer and be lifted out of fuel poverty.
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Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) (Cornwall)
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Funds to support young individuals and those struggling to stay warm.
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Cornwall Rural Community Charity (CRCC) (Cornwall)
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Grants to aid those in unpaid, informal caring roles.
Family
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Family Fund offers grants for those who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child. They provide funds for a range of things.
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A one-off payment of £500 towards the cost of having a child. Especially for those who are expecting a first child, or expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) and have children already.
Older Adults
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For individuals or groups to provide media to lonely people living in poverty
Percy Bilton Charity - Individuals in Need Fund
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Grants for individuals ages over 65 years on low income
Family Action Welfare Grants Programme
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Grants up to £300 to assist older people
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Grants up to £500 are available to help older people of state pension age living on a low income in England and Wales
Women
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Supports some of the women who are likely to be disproportionately affected by the rise in cost of living.
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Grants and support for women on low incomes who have specific needs and are struggling to make ends meet or trying to overcome financial problems. For women aged 18 or over, have savings under £2000 and in receipt of all the benefits you are entitled to.
Carers
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Funding to support those challenged by abuse, addiction, young carers and those without a safe place to call home
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Grants up to £300 to young carers and up to £1,000 for young adult carers
The Princess Royal Respite Fund for Carers
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Support for unpaid carers registered wit ha Carers Trust Network Partner
Specific Hardship Grants
Construction
B & CE Charitable Trust Hardship Grants
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Individuals could be eligible for a grant/advice service if currently working in construction or have done so previously.
The Construction Industry Emergency Financial Aid
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Eligible for people who have worked in the construction industry for more than 5 years who fit the eligibility criteria.
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Support for past and present employees of the home improvement industry
Hospitality/Service Industry
The Drinks Trust: Shaken Not Broken Fund
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For seasonal Drinks industry workers on zero hours contracts or who have been made redundant or have been given notice of redundancy.
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Supporting all grocery colleagues in their time of need including manufacturing, supermarkets, independents, wholesalers, distribution, sales, and all support functions.
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For those working in the UK hospitality industry or have for a five-year period in their working life. Also those who have worked for one year within the last two years and have recently lost their job/hours due to Covid-19.
Trade
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The Book Trade Charity provide care and support to former, current, and future individuals with work in the book trade industry.
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Short term hardship grants, practical advice and emotional support to licensed trade people. Eligible to those who, or a member of their family, work or have worked in the licensed drinks trade for a total of 5 years continuously.
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Help with general living costs, household appliances, urgent repairs, disability equipment and adaptations, and funeral costs for members of UNISON for at least four weeks and up-to-date with subscriptions.
Fashion/Textiles
The Fashion and Textile Children’s Trust
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Help for parents and carers who have worked in the UK fashion or textile industry for at least one year in the last nine, and whose household income has reduced as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Horticulture
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Offer advice, information and support to those who are working in horticulture. This includes help with short term support towards daily living costs, including food, heating and clothing
Royal Agricultural Benevolent institution
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Financial support to farming people of all ages.
Military Service
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To help to ease the burden of financial pressure for thousands of serving and ex-serving personnel every year.
The Royal British Legion – Women's section
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Number of different grants available.
The Royal Merchant Navy Education Foundation (RMNEF)
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Help for children of merchant navy seafarers, professional sea-going fishermen and RNLI lifeboat crew members.
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA)
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Help and support to existing and past service personnel and their families, including a range of services.
Teaching/Education
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Help for individuals or their partners working in or retired from the education sector and suffering financial problems caused by unemployment, ill health, sudden life events, bereavement or a personal injury.
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Help available to teachers, teaching assistants, nursery workers, caretakers and lunch supervisors who have worked within the education sector for at least five years. Grant can be used to help with bills, household costs, travel or other essentials.
Travel
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Help for individuals to overcome significant life events that may impact on financial, family, mental and physical well-being and ability to sustain rail employment. For example, illness and health issues or unexpected expenditure.
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Support to people who work, or have ever worked, for an ABTA Member. Spouses/partners, widows/widowers and children of employees are also eligible.
Music/Entertainment
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Financial support to exceptionally talented young musicians under 19 years of age who are in financial hardship and unable to meet the expenses involved in learning a musical instrument. This may mean contributing towards the cost of lessons, helping to pay for a new instrument, paying for summer school, or orchestra fees.
The Grand Order of the Water Rats Charities Fund
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Small grants to members of the theatrical profession and their dependents in the UK who, due to old age or ill health, are experiencing hardship, ill-health or disability. The Fund also supports charities connected with theatrical entertainers and will fund equipment in hospitals.
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Grants to musicians below the age of 25 years.
Profession Specific Hardship Grants
Emergency Service Workers and Medical Professionals
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Support services available to serving or retired ambulance staff and their close family members.
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Help for doctors and medical students who are in financial difficulties. The Fund particularly welcomes applications from refugee doctors.
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Support for GP's and their dependents for those suffering from financial hardship or those who are facing it in the immediate future.
The Care Workers Charity Crisis Grant
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For current and former care workers employed in the UK social care sector in a role that is involved in or supports the provision of adult, elderly or disability care.
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Help for nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, both working and retired when they’re suffering personal or financial hardship.
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Help for registered nurses in financial need, who work or have worked in the community for a minimum of three years.
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Grants open to doctors, medical students and their families who are facing financial hardship
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Support for current and former insurance employees and their dependants in the UK and Ireland, experiencing difficult life events such as ill health, disability, tragedy, depression, financial problems, and redundancy.
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Support to Anglican clergy (serving and retired) and ordinands, and their families, in the UK & Ireland. They can help with wellbeing grants, health grants, and emergency grants for times of unexpected financial difficulty.
The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society
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Financial support to UK merchant seafarers and fishers affected by the coronavirus pandemic - predominantly focused on providing support to retired seafarers, or those suffering with health issues.
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Practical, emotional and financial support for those in the print, paper, packaging, publishing, and graphic arts sectors.
The Gane Charitable Trust Grants Programme
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Grants up to £500 for individuals facing exceptional difficulty in meeting the cost of further education expenses either for adults or their children who are studying: Architecture and design, Further education in field of crafts, Promotion of crafts, and Social welfare and care.
The Seafarers Hospital Society
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Grants for Seafarers in need.
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Grants up to £1,000 for first degree students under 35 years old
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Grants up to £1,500 to study on accredited vocational training
The Charity for Civil Servants
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Grants for present or past civil servants or those who work for an organisation funded by a government department
Institution of Civil Engineers Benevolent Fund
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Grants for members or family of the ICE
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Financial support for workers in the UK furnishing industry
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Financial assistance for those who have worked in the shore trade