Financial Help and Grants for Single Mothers to Pay Bills, Buy Uniforms and More

Those single mothers resident in the UK and indeed throughout Europe, will be all too familiar with the terms recession, economic downturn and financial crisis, without me having to elaborate further.

There is no shortage of commentary regarding the effects of recession on women and children, and one would not have to have obtained a degree in economics to understand the financial difficulties which are encountered by single mothers on a daily basis.

Recent changes in eligibility for Working Family Tax Credits have further exacerbated the financial difficulties that many single parents face, pushing more and more women out of the labour market and leaving them completely dependent on benefits.

.

So, who can single mothers turn to for help? Assuming that single parents have already claimed both in work and unemployment benefits to which they may be entitled, the resources listed on this page offer further financial assistance in terms of aid and free grants which are available to unemployed single mothers and those single mothers who are in receipt of low incomes. For help with writing a funding application, please see this page. 

Although many charities prefer that an application is made through a third party, if your situation is very urgent it may be worth contacting the charity directly, to clarify whether your application needs to be endorsed by a third party. Every attempt has been made by the author to provide contact numbers, website and postal addresses where ever possible.

If you have found the information on this page helpful, or you have obtained financial assistance because of the information that you have gleaned here, please feel free to share this article with others in a similar situation, and if possible leave a comment.

The Frank Buttle Trust provides financial assistance in the form of one of grants to assist children under the age of eighteen, who are resident in the UK and in desperate need.

Grants are awarded to children who are cared for by single or two parent families. The trust will award grants for clothing, essential furniture and bedding.

Contact details:

The Frank Buttle Trust,

Audley House,

13 Palace Street,

London.

SW1E 5HX 

www.buttletrust.org

The Talisman Charitable Trust awards one off and recurrent grants for residents of the UK who are in receipt of a very low income. The trust aims to provide financial assistance for the relief of poverty, housing, disablement or disability.

An application needs to be supported by a third party such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, charitable organisation or the applicants local authority. Applications need to be in writing and must include; the applicants name and address, an outline and details of the applicants financial situation, what the grant is needed for and how much money the applicant needs.

Contact details:

The Talisman Charitable Trust,

Lower ground floor office,

354 Kennington Road,

London. Se11 4LD.

www. talismancharity.org

The Dibs Charitable Trust awards one off grants ranging from £25 to £250 for residents in the UK who find themselves in urgent financial difficulty or immediate distress.

The trust will not award grants for holidays, clothing, overseas travel, group activities or funeral expenses. Applications should be made through a third party such as the Citizens Advice Bureau or Social Services dept.

Contact details:

The Dibs Charitable Trust,

Mr AWW Davies,

12, City Forum,

250 City Road,

London.

EC1V 8AF.

Family Service Units can be found in the inner cities of England and Scotland and offer capital grants of up to £300. Their aim is reduce poverty and assist families in need.

In order to establish if there is a family service unit in your area you will need to contact them on the telephone number below.

Telephone: 0207 402 5175 

Norwich Consolidated Charities award grants to people on low incomes who permanently reside in the City of Norwich.Grants are usually only made available to families with dependents.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate however, that they have applied for, and been rejected for, a social fund loan. Grants from £50 to £500 are awarded for white goods, carpets, furniture and help with child care costs for low income single parents.

Applications should be made thorough a Social Worker, Citizens Advice Bureau or other agency. In some circumstances the charity will accept applications from an individual.

Contact details: 

Norwich Consolidated Charities,

1, Woolgate Court,

St Benedicts Street,

Norwich. NR2 4AP. 

Tel: 01603 621023

The society was established for the prevention of relief of poverty for the citizens of Glasgow who are in need due to disability, ill health or other events which have led to financial hardship. Applications should be in writing and made directly from the applicant.

Contact Details:

The City of Glasgow Society of Social Service,

Fifth floor,

30 George Square,

Glasgow.

G21 1EG. 

0141 248 3535

Norwood usually awards grants to Jewish children and families. Nevertheless, approximately one quarter of grants are awarded to mixed faith families.

Grants are offered according to individual needs and are generally awarded for occasional holidays, Jewish religious festivals and social need.

Although Norwood is a national charity their main focus is on families residing in the South East of England and London.

Applications should be made in writing and addressed to:

Norwood,

80-82 The Broadway,

Stanmore,

Middlesex.

HA7 4HB.

www.norwood.org.uk

Grants are awarded to the families of people in prison, x-offenders released from prison and those on licence from prison. Applicants must however, reside in the Greater London area.

One off grants are given for educational purposes and training but also for welfare purposes and relief of hardship.

Applications must be made through and supported by a Probation Officer or Social Worker. 

The Sheriff's and Recorders Fund,

C/O Central Criminal Court,

Old Bailey,

London.

EC4M 7BS.

Wood Street Mission.

Wood Street Mission offer free toys and gifts at Christmas for the children of families in need; those who are in receipt of benefits, receive a low income or are struggling to cope financially for whatever reason.

The charity also offers food parcels and Easter eggs during the relevant holiday. Only families who are resident in the Greater Manchester or Salford areas are eligible to receive the Christmas gifts, food parcels and Easter eggs.

Applications must be made via a Health worker, Probation Officer, Social Worker or through the Citizens Advice Bureau.

 Wood Street mission,

The Salvation Army/Society of St Vincent de Paul offer toys and gifts to families who are suffering financial hardship at Christmas time. All gifts are new and are suitable for all age groups; from babies and toddlers to older teenagers.

Applications should be made via a Health Worker, Probation Officer, Social Worker or if the applicant has no involvement with these agencies, an application can be made directly to the local branch of the Salvation Army.

Hopefully, the contacts above may help some of those single parents who are struggling to make ends meet. If, however, anyone reading this hub has had an application refused, or do meet the necessary criteria, then please visit www.turn2us.org.uk. This website offers a detailed and comprehensive list of all the charitable organisations throughout the United Kingdom, and provides details regarding eligibility criteria and how applications should be made.

Those of you who may be struggling to cope financially can also contact the Citizens Advice Bureau. Specialist volunteers can help with problems relating to housing, debt, immigration, conflict with neighbours and more. Finally, should you find yourself in a position where you need money urgently, please think twice before approaching short term money lenders. Unfortunately, the annual rates of interest are exorbitant to say the least, and borrowers can expect to pay rates of interest of between 1000 and 2000% APR. In addition, fees for late payment can cripple an individual who is already struggling to cope. If you are already in this situation, please contact the National Debt helpline on 0808 808 4000 for advice and support.

If you are able, please read and share this article; Occupy Wall Street will pay write off your debt. At the time of writing, this OWS initiative is for US citizens only, however, by sharing this page will you will help to spread the word to those who are also in need.