What we can fund Expand Essential Children's Clothing Infant clothing and footwear (0-4yrs) Primary School Uniform, Clothing and Footwear Secondary school Uniform, Clothing and Footwear College Clothing and Footwear Weekend clothing for children Study Essentials Books and Course Equipment Laptop (for secondary school children, IF there is no other device in the house) Tablet (for primary school children, IF there is no other device in the house) Printer Children's Bedroom Furniture Including: Chest of drawers Wardrobe Shelving or Bookcase Desk and chair (secondary school students only) Children's Bed and Mattress Bedding Cot and mattress Curtains or rugs for a child's bedroom (if you have none) Baby Essentials Including: Highchair Car seat Safety Gate Pushchair/ Pram Essential Appliances Including: Fridge-freezer Chest freezer Washing machine Washer/Dryer Tumble Dryer Freezer Fridge Cooker Kettle Microwave Toaster Vacuum cleaner Essential Furniture Including: Dining table and four chairs Cooking Utensils, Pots and Crockery Sofa/Seating Specialist Equipment Including: Specialist Equipment Sensory and Specialist ItemsFind out more about our specialist equipment grants. Therapy Includes different types of therapy, tailored to the child's need.Find out more about our therapy grants Can't find the item you need listed here? Please check the list of items we can't fund. Still got a question, please mention it to the member of the grants team dealing with your application.
What we can't fund Expand Unfortunately, we are currently unable to provide funding for the following: Household Expenses Including: Food or other groceries Household Bills Debt Repayments Supplementing Income Childcare Support Including: Nursery fees Out of school clubs and weekend activities After school care Travel costs to school or college Family holidays/ day trips/ school journeys Home Repairs or Decorating Including: Boiler repairs or replacement boilers Carpeting and Flooring Decorating materials Garden Furniture Other costs Including: Medical Costs Legal Costs Toys and Christmas Presents Sorry we are not able to help with any of these items. There are a number of other charities who may be able to offer assistance, like Turn2Us. You can visit their website, turn2us.org.uk
How long will the process take? Expand The whole process, from completing the enquiry form to receiving a decision usually takes about 6 weeks. The length of your application process will depend on you returning all the documents needed to support your application. We recommend you gather your supporting documents before applying. Find out more about the supporting documents you will need.
Is my employer eligible? Expand To apply, your employer (or recent employer) must be a fashion, clothing or textile related business. The easiest way to see if your employer is eligible is to use this qualifying employer list.
How do I provide supporting documents? Expand When applying for an FTCT grant, you will need to send us documents to support your application. Watch this video for guidance on the documents you will need to provide and how to upload them to our application form. Need more guidance on supporting document? Visit this page for more help.
How can I show employment history? Expand Please send us ONE of the below combinations of employment documents: Two payslips, dated at least one year apart OrTwo P60's OrAn employment proof report from HMRC If you no longer have payslips from your old employer, you can get proof directly from HMRC. Use this page for help with this: Getting your employment history from HMRC OrA P45 and one payslip/P60 both dated 12 months apart Tip: Please make sure all documents clearly show your name, your employer’s details, amount, and date, as shown in the pictures below. Self employed? If you are self employed, you will need to send us some evidence of your work and business to support your application. Use this page for more guidance.
Can I apply for another grant? Expand If we have helped your children before, you will need to wait 12 months since your last grant was awarded before you apply again. Please also note, that we can only offer three grants in total per family. Each new application is subject to the terms and conditions of the previous grant being met and our financial criteria being met. Use this page for full guidance
How do I download a bank statement? Expand If you're not sure how to download a PDF bank statement, it's best to check with your individual bank for guidance. Still stuck? Use this link below for instructions for your individual account provider. How to Download a bank statement
My grant has been awarded, what do I need to do now? Expand If you recently received your grant, you now need to buy the items we have agreed and return your receipts to us. Unfortunately, if you do not return your receipts, you will not meet the terms and conditions of the award and we will not be able to consider any future applications from you. Why do we need your receipts? As a registered charity, we need your receipts to show that our grants are spent in the way the charity intended; on the items agreed and in an appropriate way, in line with our objectives. Find out more, here.
Addiction and Gambling Support Expand We are unable to award a grant to anyone considered to be in active addiction, as this activity will be contributing towards financial difficulties. This includes where we can identify transactions on your bank statements showing significant household income spent on gambling. We consider you responsible for all transactions showing on statements in your name/partner’s name. If you would like some support, please use this page on our website for Addiction Support.
I don't work in fashion and textiles, what next? Expand If you have never worked in UK fashion and textiles, unfortunately we won't be the right charity for your family. But there are other charities who might be able to help, we've listed them all here. If you're not sure your job qualifies as fashion and textiles check our qualifying employers list here.