How will we deal with your application?

When we receive your application, we will send you a letter or email. This will either say:

• that you have sent us everything we need and that we are able to assess your application, or
• there is something missing or the information is unclear.

Once you send us the information or explain the situation, we will then begin to assess your application.

If you are asking for help with your gas/electricity charges, we will contact the company so that they can confirm how much you owe.

If, whilst we are assessing your application, we believe we need more information from you, we will contact you.

How will you know if you have been successful?

If we are able to help you with your gas/electricity charges, a payment will be made directly to the company.

We will contact you to you to let you know that the payment is being made.

If you are asking for help with other bills and costs and we are able to help, we will contact you to tell you this and will provide a cheque for the supplier which can only be used for that purpose.

If we are unable to help you with either kind of payment, we will contact you to tell you this.

How often can you apply to the Trust?

If you receive an award from the Trust, you cannot reapply to the Fund for two years.

If you do not receive an award from the Trust, you can apply again after six months.

Can I find out why my application was unsuccessful?

We regret that the Trust cannot disclose to applicants why applications are unsuccessful. However, the following may give you some guidance on why we are unable to help everyone.

The Trust Fund does not always have enough money to help everyone who applies with everything they ask for.

• This means that we cannot always help everyone and Trust staff have to make very difficult decisions about who they can help.

The Trust needs to be sure how the debts have arisen

• Where applicants are looking for help with gas/electricity charges, the Trust will always look for a full explanation of how the arrears have arisen.
• Sometimes applicants do not fully explain how the arrears have come about. It is difficult for the Trust to consider making a payment if it cannot see how the arrears have arisen.
• Similarly, where it is a bill like rent, water or sewerage, the Trust will need to understand how and why the arrears have built up.

The Trust wants to try to make a long-term difference

• Sometimes the application shows that applicants have considerably more money going out than they have coming in.
• In such cases, the Trust is unlikely to make a payment since it looks likely that the applicant will get into difficulties again with the same bills.
• In cases like these, the Trust will usually suggest that an applicant gets money advice from an agency like Citizens Advice to help them sort out their finances.
• Once a person's financial situation is more stable, we would encourage them to apply again to the Fund for help after six months if they did not received any award in the first place.

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