Guidance on assisting someone in making an application to a Trust Fund
such as the Anglian Water Trust Fund or similar, most of whom use the same criteria for selection of who to apply funding to
STILL INCOMPLETE to be added to - (as of 06 May 2008)
The Anglian Water Trust Fund (AWTF) application forms allow clients to be considered for funding from any of the following Trust Funds, all of which are administered by Charis. The Trusts operate within a shared programme with a common application form and assessment process. Completion of one application form potentially allows assessment for grants from the 4 different Trusts. Clients must be a current domestic customer of AWTF or :--
- The British Gas Energy Trust (British Gas or Scottish Gas)
- The EDF Energy Trust (Gas or Electricity)
- The Eos Foundation is for customers of one of the following companies:
- Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water
- Folkestone & Dover Water
- Mid Kent Water
- Portsmouth Water
- South East Water
- Tendring Hundred Water
All relevant information needs to be provided for assessment under each Trust e.g. :--
- a current bill(s) - to show eligibility for help from one of the companies (as above - or from another Trust Fund not listed here);
- up-to-date (must be dated within a month or so of the application being submitted) proof of ALL household income - either a full bank statement (they can get these free from their bank ) that shows wages/salary, plus all benefits being received, such as CB/CTC if the client has children, or JSA / IS / IB, whatever - AND/OR a letter from the DWP (they’ll do this at Wyvern House or any other JobCentre+ office at no cost the same day of a request for one) stating :--
- be on DWP/JobCentre or other Benefits Dep't headed paper
- the start date of their benefits
- confirmation that the award is current
- the amount(s) in payment
- the balance(s) of any Social Fund loan(s)
- what direct deductions are being made from benefits and on behalf of whom
- Doctors letters - they get these mostly free from hospital doctors, so if they have a consultant at a hospital, tell the client to get the letter from there, otherwise the only known GP who does free letters is Dr Janet Tredget at the Priory practice near Sainsbury’s on Shakespeare Rd.- otherwise it’s a £12-£25 cost, but a quick telephone call from an adviser often shames GP’s into doing it free IF you can get to talk to the GP directly and speak nicely to them;
- A well filled-in Income/Expenditure section - it helps to use our Excel spreadsheet I/E to work out income expenditure first, because that auto-calculates total income and total expenditure and you HAVE to ensure that these 2 are balanced out properly to within a pound or so.
- NEVER round up the figures - always show the pennies and always have accurate current balances for the debts.
If you’ve electronically filled-in an app, then these can be sent to Trust Fund administrators at :--
By emailing (as an attachment with a covering letter) admin@charisgrants.com
By faxing 01733 421020
Written versions are sent to: Anglian Water Trust Fund / British Gas Energy Trust / EDF Energy Trust / Eos Foundation, (all at) PO Box 42, Peterborough, PE3 8XH
Electronic versions of application forms for all trusts are available by
downloading from their websites. I find it easier to type in the content of an app, as any mistakes made can easily be fixed and you can save and come back to it when you have additional info - as well as that, its easy to save copies and attach them to Case and it does the counting for you so you can see at a glance what is/ isn’t balancing (though keep an eye out on the payments made to debts section as that is NOT calculated as expenditure c- you need to factor that into the expenditure):
If you have an emergency where someone has no money with which to live AND they have children / vulnerable adults to care for, then you have 2 sources of fast money :--
- The Vicars Relief Fund (VRF) who can be faxed (there’s an blank app form inside the cover of the Funds for Individuals Book - please PHOTOCOPY it - DON’T USE THE ORIGINAL)
- A quick call to Social Services for Section 17 payments, i.e. for the client and/or someone they care for (child or vulnerable adult) who do need to be vulnerable - but DO see the ASS before applying for this on behalf of a client, as there can be serious pitfalls/repercussions arising from this (i.e the child(ren) can be taken into care and the adult left to fend for themselves - although this is thankfully very rare)
If they are a healthy single adult, they can be sent to BECHARs Day Centre on Prebend Street for free meals (it helps the client if you phone the centre and discuss the matter with them, client willing) till their benefits come on stream.