Apply for a Grant

We provide financial support when something’s happened that you couldn’t have expected. If this is you and you’ve worked within the education sector for at least five years, we may be able to help.

1.

Use the Apply Online button to complete your application online through our trusted partner Lightning or get in touch if you need help to complete the application.

2.

You will need to provide proof of your eligible employment and financial position. It’s important that you tell us what has happened to you and why you need financial support. We also ask for medical evidence if you’re applying because you’re ill or have disabilities and for bills, invoices and quotations if you’re applying for help with paying for any of these.

3.

You can upload these documents to Lightning Reach, and quickly and securely connect your household bank accounts to verify your identity. Connecting your accounts replaces the need for you to upload bank statements with a safe and easy digital process. It also help us to review your situation more quickly and give you a decision sooner. If you don’t have online banking, instead of connecting them, you can supply your most recent monthly statement for all accounts in your household.

We cannot assess your application until you provide your documents.

4.

If you apply online and submit your application we’ll review it within five working days and contact you. 

5.

We will process your application. This means checking that you are eligible, looking at both your circumstances and your financial situation and then considering whether we can support you in the way you’ve asked. We may need to ask you for further information – please respond as quickly as possible a so that we can make a decision for you.

6.

Once we have everything we will usually be able to let you know our decision within three to four weeks.

7.

We will usually arrange for our payment to go directly to a supplier or service provider. We do make payments direct to applicants when it’s appropriate and we ask you to provide receipts for the goods or services supplied.

8.

Our financial support is there to relieve the impact of something you couldn’t have expected to happen and it is a one off payment or package of support. We do not accept repeat applications unless there has been a serious change or deterioration in circumstances.