Family Action Grants to Help Those in Need

By: Kevin Watson MSc - Updated: 1 Apr 2024 | *Discuss

 

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25% of all people suffer mental illness at some stage in their lives. Such illness can lead to all manner of problems. Half of all adults who have debts, for example, are suffering financial hardship because of depression or some other type of mental trauma.

There are other facts about mental health that make sobering reading. Around 75% of people with depression never receive help or treatment; half of those with mental health problems have children that depend on them; and 65% of children with parents that have mental health problems will themselves experience mental illness.

This means that there are significant numbers of adults and children who are at risk because of mental health issues. Family Action is a charity that provides help to these vulnerable people.

Background

These services give welfare help to more than 45,000 families and children each year. This assistance is in the form of emotional support, practical measures and grants. Family Action also has an education-based information and grants scheme. This assists a further 150,000 people.

The charity’s emotional support and practical measures help resolve the many problems that arise from mental illness such as domestic abuse. An equally important aspect of Family Action’s work, however, is its grants programme. The charity has provided grants since it first began. It now administers educational and welfare grants throughout the UK. Both schemes have a range of priorities. The educational grants also have offshoots such as the Horizons Education Fund and the Mid-Yorkshire Social Work Fund.

Education Grants

To be eligible for a Family Action grant, students must usually be receiving welfare benefits or on low incomes. They may also have families.

Family Action gives priority to students studying certain subjects. These tend to be practical rather than academic. They are the type of subjects that increase a student’s chances of gaining work.

Students don’t need to be British citizens to apply for grants. Refugees, people with leave to remain, and asylum seekers are eligible and may be studying International English Language Testing System (ILETS) courses or English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) courses.

Family Action doesn’t set limits to its education grants. The usual amount of each award, however, is £200 - £300. Students generally apply for such grants to help with education costs such as necessary equipment, travel and books.

Although there is no restriction to the amount of a grant, Family Action gives just one grant per applicant for each academic year.

Welfare Grants

Grants normally work out at £100 - £300. They cover items such as clothing, cookers, washing machines, beds, medical adaptations and aids to communication.

There is a limit on overall funds for the grants. To control this limit, Family Action accepts applications only at specific times of the year. These are the months of March, June, September and December. The charity doesn’t process welfare grant applications outside these four months.

Family Action targets its welfare grants at priority areas. The first of these is mental health. Applicants, for example, must be aged over 18 and have a clearly diagnosed mental health problem.

The other priority areas are domestic abuse; sickness; disability; young people aged 19 – 25; and older people aged 60 or over. Family Action also offers grants to women living in Greater London who need a holiday to help them recover from illness or exertion.

In every instance, grant applicants should not apply directly to Family Action. They must seek the backing of someone who has worked with them such as a health worker or social worker. These representatives must complete and submit grant forms on behalf of the applicants.

If a grant request is successful, Family Action sends a cheque to the applicant’s representative. Applicants cannot receive direct payment.

Family Action restricts each successful applicant to one grant per year.

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