Grants to support families and individuals for essential personal and household needs to assist families and individuals with low incomes, particularly those living on benefits.
Fund Information
- Funding body:
- Family Action
- Maximum value:
- Discretionary
- Application deadline:
- None specified
Background
Family Action was established in 1869 and aims to strengthen families and communities, build skills and resilience, and improve the life chances of those involved. Family Action aims to support families during times of hardship to enable them to become stronger, happier and healthier.
Grant applicants must fall into one or more of the following priority areas:
National:
- Older people: to promote independence and improve the quality of life and isolation for those aged 60 and over.
- Disability or sickness: for disability aids in the home or items required to allow discharge from hospital to home that cannot be provided by NHS or social care.
Greater London only:
- Mental health: for adults (over 18 years old) with a clinical diagnosis of a mental health problem.
- Domestic abuse: for those who have recently experienced domestic abuse.
- Holidays for women living in Greater London: for a recuperative holiday to recover health or strength after a physical or mental illness.
Objectives of Fund
Family Action aims to support families during times of hardship to enable them to become stronger, happier and healthier.
Value Notes
It is anticipated that grants will be for approximately £200 (up to a maximum of £300). Grants up to £500 can be made under the disability/sickness priority area and up to £600 for women’s holidays (depending on the size of the family).
Match Funding Restrictions
Match funding may be required for larger applications.
Who Can Apply
Applications must be made by a suitable referring agency (such as statutory agencies or charities providing health or social care, housing associations, probation services and GPs). Suitable agencies must:
- Have knowledge of and are able to assess the needs of the individual or family in need.
- Have a bank account in its own name and are able to bank and administer grants.
Those who are living on a low income and have the right of residency in the UK are eligible recipients of the grant.
Location
United Kingdom
Restrictions
The following are ineligible for funding:
- Applications directly from individual members of the public.
- Anyone who is not a service user of a registered Referral Organisation.
- Current employees of a Referral Organisation or their family members.
- Day-to-day living expenses.
- Council tax arrears.
- Debts (including utility bills).
- Fines.
- Rent deposits, arrears or payments.
- Moving costs.
- Funeral expenses (including associated expenses, such as headstones).
- Gifts (such as toys for birthdays, Christmas or other festivals).
- Repayment of Social Fund or other loans.
- Bankruptcy or insolvency costs; items already purchased.
- Driving lessons, ICT equipment.
- Citizenship applications.
- Legal fees.
- Passport applications.
- Costs associated with employment or education (including school uniforms).
- Sponsorship.
- General appeals.
- Funding for projects or groups.
- Holidays (except for women living in greater London), mobility scooters or similar mobility aids for use outside the home.
Eligible Expenditure
Grants are provided for personal and household needs such as financial hardship, mental health problems, social isolation, learning disabilities, domestic abuse or alcohol/substance abuse. Funding is also available in Greater London for disability aids that will benefit the applicant in the home and to provide recuperative holidays for women who are resident in the area.
How To Apply
An online application form and guidance are available on the Family Trust website.
Applications are accepted any time. However, the national grant for sickness/disability is currently not available as a result of lack of funds, plus the women's holiday fund grant (for Greater London only) is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Only one application per applicant within a 12 month period is accepted.
Applicants must register at the Family Action website before submission.
Contact Family Action for further information.
Useful documents & links
Useful Links
Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this grant locally, please contact the following:
- Enquiries
Family Action
34 Wharf Road
London
N1 7GR
Tel: 07816408119
Email: [email protected]