💜 UNISON’s Step into Spring Grant

 

UNISON’s Step into Spring grant opens at 12 noon on Thursday 19 March 2026 and is available for 24 hours. Eligible members can get a £30 voucher towards the cost of essentials. Find out how to apply http://unsn.uk/stepintospring

UNISON Winter essentials Grant: Applications open for 24 hours from 12 Noon on Wed 10 December

  Winter is tough enough. UNISON's Winter Essentials Grant is here to help members with £200 food shopping vouchers. 

Open 24 hours on 10 Dec!  Check eligibility here https://unsn.uk/40CMVT7

Applicants must:  

• Be a UNISON member and have paid at least four weeks’ subscriptions as of 10 December 2025. Subscriptions must be up to date.
• Not have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 10 June
  2025, excluding the School Uniform Grant and Seasonal Food Fund.
• Must be responsible (or their partner, if applicable) for household fuel bills. Only one application per household will be considered.

And EITHER:

Be on a low income, meaning a net household income* of no more than £28,205/year (£2,350.42/month)**

OR:

Be in receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

** Where members either have no recourse to public funds and their household income is above £28,205/year an assessment will be undertaken to see whether they would be eligible for benefits if they did have recourse to public funds so that they are not disadvantaged.   

How do I apply?

All applications should be made online. Applications will open on this page for 24 hours from 12 noon on Wednesday 10 December. Eligible members will be chosen at random from the applicant pool and contacted to submit supporting documents.

Due to limited funds and in anticipation of high demand, we regret that we will not be able to help all members who apply.

If you are unable to complete the application due to a disability access need, please email: weg@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

Welfare at Work Week is back! 29 Sept to 3 Oct

 

Welfare at Work Week is back! 29 Sept to 3 Oct UNISON branches are highlighting the support available from UNISON's charity - There for You - including grants, debt advice, and budgeting tools. Contact your branch or organise your own event https://unsn.uk/4lUBWeR

UNISON School Uniform Grant 28 May 2025 - share with members

 

"UNISON’s charity, There for You, is offering help for members on a low income with a one-off, non-repayable grant of £75 per school-aged child which will be paid in the form of a voucher. We want to make this limited fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can. Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty.

Applications will be made online and a link to apply will be added to this webpage when the grant is live".

The grant will be open for 24 hours from 12 noon on 28 May 2025 and close at 12 noon on 29 May 2025.

School Uniform Grant | There for You (UNISON Welfare) | UNISON National

Get help with school uniform costs - UNISON "there for you" (despite the cuts)

 

While I am "disappointed" (to say the least) that the current majority group on the UNISON NEC is cutting the financial support for our vulnerable members, by hundreds of thousands of pounds, this vital scheme is still going ahead from 29 May 24. 

I believe in the last scheme the money allocated was claimed within 4 minutes!!! so members need to get organised to make a successful application. 

It is to my mind "regrettable" that the NEC cuts to the "there for you" budget have not been overturned and more money given to support the children of low paid UNISON members. 

Check out School Uniform Grant | There for You (UNISON Welfare) | UNISON National 

"Applications will be made online and a link to apply will be added to the bottom of this webpage when the grant is live.

The grant will open on 29 May 2024 for 750 applications at 8.30am and again for another 750 applications at 5pm. You will not be able to apply before these times.

We anticipate high demand for these grants; and due to limited funding, we’re unable to accept more applications.

Please ensure you read the below information to check if you are eligible for the grant, as well as for further information about what information you will need to hand to apply.

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility need, please email: sug@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

School Uniform Grant 2024 Criteria

Applicants must: Be a UNISON member and have paid at least four weeks’ subscriptions as of 29 May 2024. Subscriptions must be up to date.
Not have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 29 November
2023, excluding the Energy Support Fund or Winter Fuel Grant.
Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.
Be financially responsible for school-aged child(ren) and receiving Child Benefit for them**.By school-aged, we mean children aged between 4 and 17 years old, who will be returning to school in the autumn.

And EITHER:

Be on a low income, meaning a net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)

OR:

Be in receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Child and/or Working Tax Credits
Pension Credit
Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
Income Support

* Net household income includes your monthly take-home pay from work (plus your partner’s, if you have one), any income from child maintenance payments, any income from student finance loans or bursaries, pensions (excluding Pension Credit) and any income from people living with you (e.g. adult children or lodgers).

** Where members either have no recourse to public funds and their household income is above £26,000/year or have no recourse to public funds and don’t receive Child Benefit; an assessment will be undertaken to see whether they would be eligible for benefits if they did have recourse to public funds.

What can I get help with?

We can help with a one-off, non-repayable grant of £75 per school-aged child which will be paid in the form of a voucher. These vouchers can be used at a selection of high street and online retailers. The vouchers cannot be used at independent retailers. We want to make this fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can. Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty. There is a limited amount in the School Uniform Grant fund, and we are only able to accept 1,500 applications. 

What if I don’t know my membership number?

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON. Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

How will you contact me?

Acknowledgement

Successful online submissions will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your ‘inbox’, please check your ‘junk/spam’ folders.

Processing time

You should not expect to receive an immediate decision. It could take up to 12 weeks before you hear from us. We will require further evidence to support your application and we will be in touch via email to request this. Please do not send chasing emails as we will be unable to respond.

If I have recently received a grant, can I apply?

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 29 November 2023, excluding the Energy Support Fund or Winter Fuel Grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a School Uniform Grant.

How do I apply?

All applications should be made online. Make sure you have your membership number to hand.

If you are unable to complete the application online due to work, personal or other commitments; we suggest you ask a friend or family member to apply online on your behalf. If you are unable to complete the application online due to a disability access need; please contact us on 29 May 2024, either by email: sug@unison.co.uk or by calling UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

The grant will open on 29 May 2024 for 750 applications at 8.30am and 750 applications at 5pm.

Any questions?
Contact us via email: sug@unison.co.uk"

UNISON Winter fuel grants for members on a low income

Can branches check out this page unsn.uk/41SPAHd and encourage low income members to apply for a "there for you" winter fuel grant worth £200. 

Applications will open twice on Wednesday 24 January, at 8.30am and 5pm. The online form will appear on this page. Recent grant applications have been extremely popular and closed within a matter of minutes, so please do check the eligibility criteria below, ensure you have your UNISON membership number to hand and consider setting a reminder if you wish to apply.

Applicants must:

• Be a UNISON member and have paid at least four weeks’ subscriptions as of 24 January. Subscriptions must be up to date.
• Not have an outstanding application for the recent Energy Support Fund grant.
• Not have been issued with a successful decision for the recent Energy Support Fund grant.
• Not have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 24 July
  2023, excluding the School Uniform Grant.
• Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.
• Be responsible (or their partner, if applicable) for household fuel bills. Only one application per household will be considered.

And EITHER:

Be on a low income, meaning a net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)

* Net household income includes your monthly take-home pay from work (plus your partner’s if applicable), any income from child maintenance payments, any income from student finance loans or bursaries, pensions (excluding Pension Credit) and any income from people living with you (e.g. adult children or lodgers).

OR:

Be in receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

UNISON School Uniform Grant 2023 - This Thursday 1 June: Get Ready!

 

On the day only - online applications. Up to a max of £150. Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   OR:   In receipt of means-tested benefits. 

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/school-uniform-grant/

"The 2023 School Uniform Grant Programme will open twice on 1 June 2023 at the following times:

1000 applications at 8.30am  

1000 applications at 5pm 

Applications will be made online.  You cannot apply before these times. 

A link to apply online will be added to the bottom of this webpage when the grant is live. 

Please ensure you read the below information to see if you are eligible before making an application.    

School Uniform Grant 2023 eligibility:

Applicants must:   

• Be a UNISON member   
• Have paid at least four weeks subscriptions at the time of applying. Subscriptions must be up to date.   
• Not have received a grant through our main applications since 01 December 2022    
• Not have received more than £750 in total if within the first year of membership   
• Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.     
• Be financially responsible for school aged child(ren) and receiving Child Benefit for them. By school aged we mean children aged between 4-17 years old who will be returning to school in the autumn. 

Only one application per household will be considered.   

And EITHER:   

• you are on a low income:   
• Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   

OR:   

In receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:   

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

 *by household income, we mean income from: salary payments, student finance payments, state retirement pension, occupational or private pensions, child maintenance.   

What can I get help with?   

We can help with a one-off grant of £50 per school aged child, up to a maximum of £150. We want to make this fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can.  Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty. There is a limited amount in the School Uniform Grant Fund.  

What if I don’t know my membership number?   

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON.   
  
Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.   

How will you contact me?   

Acknowledgement   

Successful online submissions will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your ‘inbox’, please check your ‘junk/spam’ folders.      

Processing time   

You should not expect to receive an immediate decision. It could take up to 8 weeks before you hear from us. We will require further evidence to support your application and we will be in touch via email to request this. Please do not send chasing emails as we will be unable to respond.   

If I have recently received a grant can I apply?   

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 01 December 2022, excluding the Energy Support Fund and Winter Fuel Grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a School Uniform Grant.   

How do I apply?   

All applications should be made online. Make sure you have your membership number to hand.   

Applications are currently not open

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility issue, please email: sug@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.  
  
Any questions?  
Contact us via email: sug@unison.co.uk 

Get Help with School Uniform costs - UNISON "there-for-you" fund : supporting members when it gets tough

Tonight at our UNISON London Housing Associations Branch Executive meeting, we discussed a number of key issues facing members - possible/probable strike action over pay, breaking of pension promises and trade union victimisation & bullying by a major employer of UNISON activists. 

However, we also discussed how we can get the message out to our members about the UNISON benevolent fund called "there-for-you" which is about to open its annual "get help with School Uniform costs" cash grant application process.  This is means tested. 

UNISON is I believe the only major trade union that has its own self help charity dedicated to support its members. This week I had to refer a member who is off sick due to a disability (and on reduced pay/zero) to to see if they are able to get assistance to pay their rent and avoid eviction. 

On the day only - online applications. Up to a max of £150. Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   OR:   In receipt of means-tested benefits. 

https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/school-uniform-grant/

"The 2023 School Uniform Grant Programme will open twice on 1 June 2023 at the following times:

1000 applications at 8.30am  

1000 applications at 5pm 

Applications will be made online.  You cannot apply before these times. 

A link to apply online will be added to the bottom of this webpage when the grant is live. 

Please ensure you read the below information to see if you are eligible before making an application.    

School Uniform Grant 2023 eligibility:

Applicants must:   

• Be a UNISON member   
• Have paid at least four weeks subscriptions at the time of applying. Subscriptions must be up to date.   
• Not have received a grant through our main applications since 01 December 2022    
• Not have received more than £750 in total if within the first year of membership   
• Have savings (including the total rolling balance on current accounts) below £1,000 to qualify.     
• Be financially responsible for school aged child(ren) and receiving Child Benefit for them. By school aged we mean children aged between 4-17 years old who will be returning to school in the autumn. 

Only one application per household will be considered.   

And EITHER:   

• you are on a low income:   
• Net household income* of no more than £26,000/year (£2,166.67/month)   

OR:   

In receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:   

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

 *by household income, we mean income from: salary payments, student finance payments, state retirement pension, occupational or private pensions, child maintenance.   

What can I get help with?   

We can help with a one-off grant of £50 per school aged child, up to a maximum of £150. We want to make this fund go as far as possible and help as many members as we can.  Please only apply if you are in financial difficulty. There is a limited amount in the School Uniform Grant Fund.  

What if I don’t know my membership number?   

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON.   
  
Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.   

How will you contact me?   

Acknowledgement   

Successful online submissions will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your ‘inbox’, please check your ‘junk/spam’ folders.      

Processing time   

You should not expect to receive an immediate decision. It could take up to 8 weeks before you hear from us. We will require further evidence to support your application and we will be in touch via email to request this. Please do not send chasing emails as we will be unable to respond.   

If I have recently received a grant can I apply?   

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 01 December 2022, excluding the Energy Support Fund and Winter Fuel Grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a School Uniform Grant.   

How do I apply?   

All applications should be made online. Make sure you have your membership number to hand.   

Applications are currently not open

If you are unable to complete the application due to an accessibility issue, please email: sug@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.  
  
Any questions?  
Contact us via email: sug@unison.co.uk