GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING FOR A GRANT TO AN INDIVIDUAL
The Isleworth & Hounslow Charity Ltd makes one-off grants of up to £350 to individuals for ‘relief in need’ and ‘relief of sickness’. Grants are made to relieve poverty or to relieve problems due to sickness or disability.
Applicants for grants must be in need, hardship or distress and must be resident in the London Borough of Hounslow. Priority will be given to people who have been resident in the London Borough of Hounslow for at least two years prior to application.
Grants cannot be awarded for items for which statutory funding is available. Applicants will have to show that they have applied for statutory funding and also investigated local furniture projects (if the grant request is for furniture) before contacting the Charity for assistance. Grants are not available for educational or religious purposes or for funding animals or pets. Grants cannot be made to individuals whom the Charity has funded in the past.
The Charity Trustees will consider applications only on referral by a recognised voluntary sector or statutory agency (for example, Citizen's Advice Bureau, Family Support Worker, General Practitioner, School, Hestia, Housing Officer, Adult Social Care). With the applicant, the sponsoring agency must complete an application form which will include details of the applicant’s situation and what help is requested.
If a grant is awarded but the total cost of the item(s) requested is higher than the grant awarded, the Charity will award the grant but will not release the cheque until the Charity receives confirmation that the balance required has been raised.
Please note that the Trustees are more likely to award grants for furniture at the cheaper end of the spectrum, rather than expensive models. In addition, they are unlikely to award grants to applicants who already have the item in question but are looking to have an upgrade to a new version.
The Trustees of the Charity meet twelve times a year to consider grant applications. The deadline for receipt of applications is always the 5th of the month in which the meeting takes please.
Charity Commission guidance on making grants will be followed. Amongst the types of need which can be considered are the following (although this is not an exhaustive list):
Grants in the form of:
• weekly allowances for a limited period;
• payment to alleviate a crisis or disaster;
• payment of travelling expenses for visiting people, for example in a hospital, convalescent home, children's home, prison or other similar place;
• payment to meet expenses associated with visiting people (as mentioned above) for example, child-minding, accommodation, refreshments etc;
• payment to assist in meeting energy and water bills;
• payment to clear debts, e.g. utility debts.
The provision of items such as:
• furniture, bedding, clothing, food, fuel, heating appliances;
• washing machines, fridges, cookers.
Payment for services such as:
• essential house decorating;
• house cleaning;
• insulation and repairs;
• laundering;
• meals on wheels;
• child-minding;
• telephone line, rates and utilities.
The Charities can also give extra help to people in poverty who are sick, convalescent, infirm, or with disabilities, whether physical or mental. This can include:
Grants for:
• special payments to relieve sickness or infirmity;
• payment of travelling expenses on entering or leaving hospitals, convalescent homes or similar
• institutions, or for out-patient consultations;
• payment towards the cost of adaptations to the homes of people with disabilities;
• payment of telephone installation charges and rentals.
The provision of items such as:
• food for special diets;
• medical equipment (such as wheelchairs, mobility scooters etc).
The provision of grants for services such as:
• gardening;
• bathing, hair washing, shaving, foot care;
• help in the home, nursing aid, physiotherapy in the home;
• shopping, reading, sitting-in, audio tapes for the housebound.
Rent arrears and Council Tax
Only in very exceptional circumstances will the Trustees be able to award grants to help with the cost of rent arrears and Council Tax arrears. On the whole, these are not things which the Charity can fund.
Grants to owner occupiers for house repairs or improvements
Only in very exceptional circumstances will the Trustees be able to award grants to help with the cost of house repairs or improvements for owner occupiers.
Guidelines available as a pdf document.
Online application form for grants to individuals.