THOSE who’ve recently lost their job can get help to pay the bills through free grants worth up to £10,000.
There are around 8,000 charities and organisations in the UK that offer cash to help struggling households make ends meet.
There are a number of grants available from charities if you’re struggling due to losing your job
Collectively, they have a yearly budget of around £3billion, according to debt charity Turn2Us, so there’s always a place you can turn to for help.
Often, you’re allowed to use the money to spend on whatever you need to, such as paying bills, helping with education costs or buying household appliances.
The payments aren’t loans meaning you don’t have to pay them back – the grants are designed to help you get out of debt not push you further into it.
How much a grant is worth depends on the charity or organisation that offers it but typically they’re between £500 and £10,000.
For families that have recently been hit by unemployment brought on by the pandemic, it can be a life line.
Unemployment is expected to jump to 7.5 per cent – equal to 2.6million people – by the end of the year, according to The Bank of England.
How do I apply for a grant?
The first thing you need to do is find the right type of grant for you – some charities ring fence the cash for specific applicant, such as those who live in a certain area.
Turn2Us has a free grants search tool so you can find out what help put there is available to you.
There are 1,613 grant giving organisations listed on the site and you can narrow them down based on your gender, age, location, religion and health condition.
Once you’ve found a grant you want to apply for you can click on the “enquire online” button to find out more.
You’ll need to be logged into your Turn2Us account to apply – if you don’t have one it’s free to sign up.
After you’ve followed the application process, which will include sending over some extra information about yourself, you can typically expect to hear back from the charity within two weeks.
What grants are available if you’ve recently lost your job?
How much you are able to claim depends on your circumstances and what the charity has budgeted for.
But these are the grants you should look out for if you’re struggling financially due to recently losing your job.
Many of them are benevolent funds related to specific industries, so make sure to include your profession when looking for a grant.
- Turn2Us give grants to people who currently work or have previously worked in one of 300 professions, including nursing, teachers and social workers.
- RetailTRUST gives grants to those who work or have previously worked in the retail industry.
- Hospitality Action offers grants for those who work or worked in the hospitality sector, such as bar staff, waiters and kitchen employees.
- The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) runs a Lifeline charity that offers grants to those who work or previously worked in parts of the travel industry associated with its membership, such as an ABTA accredited tour operator.
What other help can I get?
If you’ve recently lost your job you may be entitled to income support through Universal Credit.
Those out of work, aged 18 or over, under state pension age and with less than £16,000 in savings may be able to claim benefits.
There are a number of free benefit calculators that you can use to find out what you can get, such as GOV.UK, Turn2Us and Entitledto.
It’s also worth checking if you can get help with bills from your local council or in the form of a government loan, and see if you’re eligible for food banks.
If you don’t qualify for benefits but you’re worried about paying your mortgage, loan or rent, speak to your provider.
Mortgage providers, for example, are offering payment holidays while some lenders are also pausing repayments.
You should also consider turning to a free help organisation such as Citizens Advice or StepChange.
