Applying for a Hardship Grant
Guidance Notes - Please read very carefully
Our Hardship Grants are aimed at individuals who are experiencing poverty or hardship. Please note that as of January 2026, only residents of Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Swindon are now eligible to apply.
We know that you may be applying to us as a last resort, we will therefore ensure that your application is processed efficiently and that your experience is as positive as possible. However, our funds are limited, so to maximise your chances of success please read below to check that you are eligible, ensure that you have all the required supporting information ready to upload, and follow our guidance carefully. Further information is available in our FAQs.
We have made some changes to simplify our application process. All applications to our Hardship Grants will now be made through Lightning Reach – a link is at the bottom of this page.
One key advantage of using Lightning Reach is that you may be matched with other grant programmes or support.
Please note, that due to the high volume of demand and in the interests of fairness, we will accept a maximum of 4 applications per calendar month per supporting organisation except where the organisation has multiple sites e.g. CAB, in which case the maximum per site is 4 per month.
How much can I apply for?
Our grant awards range from £150 to £750 however our average grant award last year was £379. Please apply for a realistic amount or your application be declined.
Our grant awards are normally made in the form of e-vouchers, bank transfer, or direct to a supplier.
Who can apply?
You can apply for yourself or support someone else to apply.
If you are applying for yourself, you must meet the minimum criteria listed below and supply a statement or letter of support from a professional person (support worker) who knows you and your circumstances well. This could be a Citizens Advice Advisor, Housing Officer, Charity Worker, Money Advisor, GP, or other professional person.
If you are supporting someone else, you must be a professional person (support worker) and know the applicant and their circumstances well.
Please note - households can only receive one grant award in any 12-month period to a maximum of three in any five-year period.
There are other organisations which may be able to help.
Lightning Reach - free online portal that connects financial support from various sources to the people that need it, quickly and securely - Visit website here >
Turn 2 Us - free Benefits Calculator; Grants Search; details about Turn2us' direct grant-giving funds; and links to other sources of information and help - Visit website here >
The Association of Charitable Organisations - free directory of benevolent organisations which make grants. These are especially relevant if you have worked in a particular trade or industry - Visit website here >
What are the minimum criteria?
The applicant must be a resident of Bristol, Gloucestershire, or Wiltshire & Swindon.
The applicant must have UK citizenship or been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. They must be over 18 years old and have been resident in the UK for at least 12 months.
The applicant must be in receipt of all state benefits they are entitled to (except where they are waiting for benefit to be awarded or appealing against a decision of the DWP to refuse or withdraw a benefit, for example PIP).
The applicant must be able to supply a letter or statement from a support worker at the time of application. (see How to Apply section below).
What can I apply for?
- Help to buy white goods e.g. fridge, freezer, microwave, washing machine or cooker
- Help to buy essential household goods e.g. bedding and beds, bedroom furniture, kitchen equipment.
- Help to buy food or clothing.
- Help to pay for priority debts including Gas, Electric, Water and Council Tax, provided you have received advice from a debt advice agency such as Step Change, Citizens Advice, National Debtline, Christians Against Poverty (CAP), or a local money and debt advice agency in your area.
- Help to pay for bankruptcy costs if you have been advised that this is the best course of action by a debt advice agency such as Citizens Advice, Step Change, National Debtline, or a local debt advice agency in your area.
- Help to pay for training or work tools, if you can supply details of the tools or training course you want to apply for and can demonstrate that it will help you to secure employment.
- Help to pay for floor coverings. To be eligible for a flooring award:
• children under 5 years old must live at the property with the applicant, or
• the applicant or someone living at the property must have a medically diagnosed chronic physical health condition, or
• the applicant or someone living at the property must have a medically diagnosed severe and enduring mental health condition. You will need to supply images of the priority area you want to floor and a quote from a contractor and where applicable evidence of our medical condition which confirms your diagnosis. Check our FAQs for more information.
In exceptional circumstances you may apply for help:
- To buy a disability aid if you can supply details of the aid you want to buy and show that a government grant is not available. Grants towards electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters will not be funded.
- To pay for minor home repairs or garden improvements, if you can supply details of repairs and a written estimate of cost and can show that the adaptation or repair will significantly enhance your wellbeing.
- To pay some of your rent arrears if you are a tenant of a private landlord, and if you can show that the arrears have arisen due to a procedural failure in the benefits system, a significant life event, long-term ill health, or disability. You will also need to: supply a recent rent arrears statement, be receiving debt advice from a recognised agency, show that you have or have tried to agree a repayment plan with your landlord, have applied for a discretionary housing payment (if you are eligible), and have been threatened with legal action by your landlord.
What happens after we receive your application?
We will aim to review your application and make an initial response within 15 working days (i.e. roughly 3 weeks), however, this could take longer in times of high demand or other circumstances beyond our control.
You will receive an email from us which will either;
1. Approve or decline your application. If approved, we will let you know when and how an award will be made.
or
2. Make an information request to provide further clarification or documentation.
or
3. Let you know that your application will be considered by our Welfare Committee (applications which are exceptional, are always considered by the Welfare Committee and therefore take longer to process)
A few things to note before you apply:
1. We are a very small, committed team but due to the volume of applications we receive, and for security reasons, we can only process applications through Lightning Reach. Please respond to our requests for further information as soon as possible.
2. Please contact us through Lightning Reach rather than via email or telephone. All supporting documents need to be uploaded through Lightning Reach. We can no longer attach emailed documents to applications.
3. We need to see bank statements which are no more than two months old. To do this we ask applicants to connect their bank account through Open Banking in Lightning Reach. Where this is not possible, we will accept pdf uploads of the applicant’s bank statement (screenshots will not be accepted). Connecting to the applicant’s bank account is safer, quicker and more secure than email. For a demonstration of how easy it is please click here.
4. Please do not purchase the goods while the application is in process as we cannot make awards retrospectively.
5. We will not award a grant to an applicant considered to be in active addiction, as this activity will likely to be contributing towards financial difficulties. This includes where we can identify transactions on their bank statements which show significant household income spent on gambling or other addictions. However, a grant may be considered if they can evidence that they are actively seeking help and advice for their addiction.
6. Please be courteous. Our staff are doing their best.
How to apply
Please click on the “Apply for a Hardship Grant” button below. This will take you through to Lightning Reach.
Lightning Reach is a free, secure online portal that helps you find and apply for financial assistance from multiple sources - all in one place - matching users to over 2,500 schemes from charities, organisations, and councils across the UK.
Here’s how Lightning Reach works:
Fill out a simple profile - In just 10-15 minutes, answer a few questions on the Lightning Reach website, and Lightning Reach will generate a personalised list of financial support options available to you. This includes help with energy bills, rent, home essentials, and more. If you already have a Lightning Reach account you can just log into it and you can update it if your circumstances have changed; you should not need to complete to complete your profile more than once.
Apply for support – If your profile shows that you meet our eligibility criteria then you will see the National Benevolent Charity Financial Hardship Grants on the list of grants you can apply to. Click on "Apply" and complete the following additional sections.
These additional questions include:
1. Information Sharing
You will need to agree to Lightning Reach sharing your information with us and any other organisation you want to apply to.
2. Support Worker Details
This is where you state if you are currently being supported by a Support Worker who can provide a supporting statement for your application. This must be an independent person who is professionally involved with you for example a Charity Advice Worker, Social Worker, Housing Officer, Money Advice Worker, CAB Advisor, Health Visitor, GP etc. )
Their supporting statement should include:
o a description of your current circumstances
o what you are applying for
o how they are professionally involved with you
o that they support your application.
Applications cannot be submitted without a supporting statement from a Support Worker.
3. Household Details
o Please tell us about the current issues or challenges that you or your household are dealing with, including a medical diagnosis (if relevant)
o Explain how your circumstances are affecting you and your financial situation
o Tell us what you are applying for (e.g. food and/or clothing vouchers, white goods, etc)
4. Financial Evidence
We need to see bank statements which are no more than two months old. To do this we ask applicants to connect their bank account through the Lightning Reach portal Open Banking function - this allows us to see a snapshot of your bank statements from the last 3 months, nothing more.
Where this is not possible (i.e. if you do not use online banking), we will accept pdf uploads of the applicant’s bank statement. Screenshots will not be accepted.
Connecting to the applicant’s bank account is safer, quicker and more secure than email. For a demonstration of how easy it is please click here.
5. Income and expenditure
Please provide full income and outgoings based on the whole household. This should include every member of the household that is contributing to the daily living costs.
6. Supporting Documents
Upload all supporting information, such as medical evidence. Additional supporting information may be required, depending on what you are applying for help with. More information on what evidence you need to provide is in our FAQs
