Financial needs
How we help with financial needs
Help is available to individuals with a Masonic connection who are in long-term or temporary financial difficulty. All case are assessed on their merits. Support is usually provided in the form of a grant or loan.
Assistance is most often given towards:
- Household expenses: Everyday expenses like gas and electric bills and food; and the essential replacement of household items like washing machines, fridges and cookers.
- Home repairs and improvements: Redecoration, repairs and essential improvements like the widening of doorways and the installation of ramps for accessibility. Help may be given as a repayable loan.
- Funeral costs: Essential costs relating to the provision of a funeral where no other funds are available.
- Children's maintenance and education costs: Assistance with costs relating to education including extra-curricular activities, clothing grants, IT and course equipment, travel allowances, educational school trips and specialist tuition.
- Costs arising from illness, death or redundancy: Help with everyday living costs and other essential expenses arising as a direct result of an event leading to short-term or unexpected financial difficulty. Although the Charities will not repay debts, they may be able to offer support with expenses going forward to avoid further debt building up or to help provide a basic standard of everyday living during the period when the debts are being repaid.
If the financial support you require is not listed then please contact us to discuss your case in further detail - help may be available.
About financial support
Who can apply for financial support?
All applicants for financial support must have a Masonic connection and be experiencing a genuine financial need.
What are the eligibility criteria for financial support?
If you need financial support then the decision whether to help you will depend on what income and savings you have. It is not possible to give details here of the rules used as they vary depending on the need and are reviewed on a regular basis. We would encourage anyone requiring help with one or more of the needs listed above to contact Freemasonry Cares on 0800 035 60 90 for a confidential discussion. We will then be able to indicate if you are likely to qualify.
Common myth!
Many people assume that if they own their own home and/or have modest savings they will not qualify for support. Each case is assessed on its merits and in many cases the value of your home and a small amount of savings will be ignored when assessing a request for support.
How to apply
Contact Freemasonry Cares on 0800 035 60 90 for a confidential discussion about your situation, including guidance on applying for support. Alternatively you can speak to your Lodge Almoner or the Provincial Grand Almoner.
Further information
For further information about the financial support available from the central Masonic Charities contact Freemasonry Cares on 0800 035 60 90.