Deadline: 26-Feb-25
Submissions are now open for the Boosting Advice Fund Programme to help older people who are struggling financially and to support organisations that assist older people.
They recognise that one route to achieve this is to improve the support older people receive and their access to it, by funding charities who deliver advice.
Priority Groups
- Independent Age’s research and analysis has identified certain groups of people aged 65 and over who are at greater risk of facing financial hardship, including:
- single people
- women
- people from minoritised ethnic groups
- private/social renters
- carers
- people with long-term conditions or disabilities
Funding Information
- Grants will be for a three-year period. Eligible organisations will be able to apply for a minimum of £90,000 (£30,000 per year) and up to £150,000 (£50,000 per year).
What they want to achieve?
- They are looking to fund projects with a focus on in-person advice provision to people aged 65+.
- Funded projects will achieve outcomes against the following themes:
- Income – Older People facing financial hardship will have sufficient income and receive the financial support they’re entitled to. This may include work around; Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Attendance Allowance Form Filling, Carers Allowance, Pension Age Disability Payment and Carers Support Payment.
- Costs – Older People facing financial hardship are protected from unfair or avoidable costs. This might include work around; bill reduction, supporting older people with housing repairs, dealing with rent increases and supporting older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Geographic Areas
- This grant programme will fund projects that deliver in-person advice in the areas set out below. The areas selected for this year’s funding are based on several factors, including the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), census data highlighting populations of older people and Pension Credit take-up information. The areas are:
- England
- Newcastle
- Manchester
- Leicester
- South London – boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham
- Scotland
- Glasgow
Outcomes
- Outcomes for older people:
- They will prioritise funding for organisations who can demonstrate that their work will achieve one or more of the following outcomes:
- Increased number of older people in the fund’s target locations accessing advice and support for financial wellbeing
- Improved access to in-person support from skilled advisers.
- Increased number of older people claiming benefits they are entitled to.
- Increased number of older people achieving reductions in household costs.
- They will prioritise funding for organisations who can demonstrate that their work will achieve one or more of the following outcomes:
- Outcomes for funded organisations
- Through this opportunity, they want to work in partnership with funded organisations to help achieve the following outcomes:
- Increased reach and engagement with older people facing financial hardship.
- Improved organisational resource or capacity to provide support to older people facing financial hardship.
- Increased understanding of, and engagement with, older people facing inequalities and financial hardship.
- Through this opportunity, they want to work in partnership with funded organisations to help achieve the following outcomes:
Eligibility Criteria
- The Fund will award three-year grants to support charities that can provide advice to older people facing financial hardship.
- Organisations applying should:
- Have an established track record of providing high-quality advice
- Be able to demonstrate existing reach, or a robust plan to increase reach to older people aged 65+ facing financial hardship. You don’t have to be currently working with older people, but if you aren’t, they’d like to hear about how you plan to
- Provide face-to-face advice work as an element of their project, as they see this as an important option for many older people.
- Be able to deliver in-person advice within one or more of the targeted geographical areas
- You can apply only if your organisation is one of the following:
- a registered charity
- a registered charity that is a company limited by guarantee
- a registered charity that is a community benefit society
- a Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Ineligibility Criteria
- They cannot fund:
- unincorporated associations
- companies limited by shares, including Community Interest Companies limited by shares
- statutory organisations, such as local authorities
- any organisation with two years of late submissions to the Charity Commission/Companies House, within the last two completed financial years.
- private individuals
For more information, visit Independent Age.