New financial hardship fund

New fund to help people deal with financial hardship

The national poverty charity Turn2us has launched a new fund to help people facing financial hardship because of a life-changing event.

The Turn2us Response Fund is designed to help those who suddenly find themselves in difficulty – for example because of a medical diagnosis, job loss, or bereavement.

Grants are provided for specific needs which are essential to the financial stability, wellbeing, and independence needed to maintain normal daily living.

They could cover things like respite and convalescence, household goods, house adaptation (to accommodate mobility needs, for example) or funeral expenses. The life-changing event must have occurred within the 12 months prior to making the application.

Alison Taylor, Director of Turn2us Operations, said: “We see on a daily basis the devastating effects that a life-changing event such as job loss, bereavement, or long term ill health, can have on an individual or family’s income in a short space of time and the turmoil this can cause. We have set up this new charitable fund, to help people when they need it most – and before there is a downwards spiral from which it can be hard to climb up from. Through providing timely and compassionate financial support, we want to assist people as they move on and improve their situation.”

Applications for the fund must be made via one of Turn2us’s intermediary partners, who will check that an individual is eligible to apply to the fund and complete an application. The list of intermediary partners can be found at www.turn2us.org.uk.

The new Turn2us Response Fund will sit alongside the charity's core fund, the Turn2us Elizabeth Finn Fund, which has been providing grants to professional people in need for over 120 years.

The charity, which is a partner of PHA UK, also manages a further seven funds giving direct financial help to individuals. It provides a ‘grants search’ tool to enable people to seek support from over 3,000 charitable funds across the UK and Ireland, and has developed an easy-to-use benefits calculator. Both of these free tools are available via the PHA UK website.

To apply for a grant through the Turn2us Response Fund you must: • Be over 18 years of age • Have a household income below set limits • Have £4,000 or less in accessible savings • Be a British or Irish national or have the right to reside in the UK or Ireland • Live at least half the year in the UK of Ireland • Not be in full-time education at university or college studying for a undergraduate or postgraduate degree

For further information on the Turn2us Response Fund, visit www.turn2us.org.uk