UNISON is unique amongst trade unions in that it has its own welfare charity to support members, called There for you.
There for you provides support through its well-used school uniform and winter fuel grant programmes, as well as offering grants direct to individual members who are experiencing financial distress upon application.
This year, due to the sky-rocketing of energy bills anticipated from October 1st, There for you has agreed to a unique Energy Support Fund for members with £1,000,000 available to support members with their energy bills. £250,000 was donated to the Appeal by UNISON’s National Executive Council, which recognised the scale of the crisis facing members.
There for you will be launching the first phase of its Energy Support Fund at 11.00am on Wednesday 5 October. Applications will be submitted online.
The Energy Support Fund will provide a one-off payment of £200 to help members with the rising cost of fuel.
Members who wish to apply must meet the grant’s eligibility criteria. In the first phase of applications, we will be accepting the first 2,000 applications.
To be eligible for the fund you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Must have 4 weeks of up-to-date membership as of 5 October.
- Must not have received a main grant since March 2022.
- Must not have more than £1,000 in savings or rolling bank balance.
- Must not have received more than £750 worth of grants if applying within first year of membership.
- Net household income of no more than £30k/year (£2,500/month).
- Monthly housing costs (made up of mortgage/rent plus any service charge & ground rent) make up at least 1/3 of net household income.
- Not in receipt of any means-tested benefits (excluding Child Benefit).
Members who do not meet the above criteria may be eligible to apply to future phases of the fund (if they meet the criteria). The second phase will launch in November.
West Sussex branch members are duly advised of the Energy Support Fund and if intending to apply in its first phase are recommended to check back at this page on Wednesday 5 October after 11.00am, or use the link sent tomorrow to members by the national office.
Any queries regarding the Energy Support Fund should be emailed to energysupportfund@unison.co.uk.
If you are unable to complete the online application due to an accessibility issue, please email: energysupportfund@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.