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Grants to Individuals

FAQs

How will the trust deal with my application?

When we receive your application, we will send you an acknowledgement letter including contact details at the Trust should you need to speak with anyone throughout the assessment period.

If we find that there is information missing or we need more information from you, we will write to you to ask for it.

If you are asking for help with your gas/electricity debts, we will contact the company so that they can confirm how much you owe.

Please click here for a simply flowchart diagram.

How will I know if I have been successful?

If we are able to help you with your gas/electricity debts, a payment will be made directly to the company. We will write to you to let you know that we have made the payment.

If you are asking for help with other bills and costs and we are able to help, we will write and let you know how the award will be paid.

If we are unable to help you with either kind of payment, we will to you write to tell you this.

Can I apply to the Trust again?

If you receive an award from the Trust, you can reapply to the Trust after two years.

If you do not receive an award from the Trust, you can apply again after six months.

Can I find out why my application was unsuccessful?

Although the Trust is usually unable to tell you why your application was unsuccessful, here are some of the common reasons why the Trust is unable to make an award:

The Trust aims mainly to help those struggling with energy debts and has only limited funds for other household debts (Further Assistance Payments). Trustees receive many more applications for help than they can award, so each month they have to make difficult decisions about who can be helped. Trustees can only give help to a small percentage of people who ask for it.

If you are in debt to a company, such as your water or energy supplier, you should contact them either directly or through an agency like your Citizens Advice Bureau, and they will help you to set up a plan to manage your debts. Some agencies have company schemes, hardship funds and special tariffs to assist those struggling with debt.

What will the Trust not pay for?

The Trust will not help will any of the following:

• Fines for criminal offences
• Overpayments of benefits
• Educational or training needs
• Debts to central or local government departments, e.g. tax and national insurance
• Catalogues, credits cards, personal loans and other forms of non-secured lending
• Holidays
• Medical equipment, aids and adaptations
• Deposits to secure accommodation

What information does the Trust need me to give?

The Trust must have detailed information about why you have had difficulty paying your energy bills, or why you are in difficulties with other essential bills and costs.

I haven't heard from the Trust for a while: why?

When we write to you for information, we will give you four weeks to find that information. If you do not reply, we will close the application. This is because we assume that you no longer want to continue with the application. If you have difficulty in obtaining the information you need to send us (for example, if you have requested it and it has not yet arrived) please write to us before the four weeks is up and let us know. We can then give you more time to send what you need to send.

This is the only circumstance in which you will not hear from us. We always tell those who have applied if they have been successful of if they have not been successful.