Frequently asked questions

Grants are available to support you with a number of domestic needs that you may not be able to complete yoruself following a recent illness or injury. These include:

• Cleaning and tidying your home
• Washing and ironing clothes
• Cooking

We recognise that each individual circumstance is different, so to support you we follow the guidelines of:

• If you have undergone a minor operation, home help can be claimed for 2 weeks following the operation.
• If you have undergone a major operation, home help can be claimed for 6 weeks following the procedure.
• If you have had an acute episode of a continuing medical condition home help can be claimed for a maximum of 10 weeks.

To complete your application we require the following details:

• Details on the type of help required
• The hourly rate of that help
• The hours per week required
• The number of weeks required

Following approval of a successful application the grant can be paid either:

• Directly to the person providing the home help, on production of an invoice.
• To you on production of a receipt confirming the payment made to the domestic help provider.

Please note that grants for domestic help must be paid within the timescale specified at the time the grant is awarded. Any grant not paid within this timescale, or any balance of grant remaining, will no longer be available.

For the Frederick Andrew Trust to provide financial support, the therapist must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

A maximum of up to 6 sessions can be applied for.

Details of registered therapies are available on www.hcpc-uk.org and include:

• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Dieticians
• Prosthetists
• Hearing or sight loss professionals
• and others

Any therapist registered with the HCPC will have a registration number and expiry date of their registration. These details must be provided.

• Name of the therapist
• Type of therapy
• Number of sessions required and estimated cost of therapy

If any of these details are missing we will be unable to process your application.

A successful grant application will be paid on production of an invoice detailing:

• The date and cost of each therapy session.
• Name and HCPC registration number of the therapist carrying out the treatment.
• Your name and address.

Payment can be made:

• Directly to the therapist on production of an invoice.
• To you on production of a receipted invoice.

Depending on the number of sessions awarded, claims should be made at monthly intervals during the course of the therapy. But if this will cause you financial hardship then alternative arrangements can be made.

Grants for therapy must be paid within the timescale specified at the time the grant is awarded. Any grant not paid within this timescale, or any balance of grant remaining, will no longer be available.

Unfortunately the Frederick Andrew Trust can not be responsible for payment of any consultation or treatment sessions where an applicant has failed to attend.

We want you to feel comfortable and relaxed on your short break away, so add flexibility on accommodation based on:

• Bed and breakfast accommodation
• A hotel
• A short stay in a convalescent home

GRANTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR A STAY IN SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION

To complete an application please provide us with:

• The name and address of the accommodation.
• The dates of your intended break (a maximumof 5 nights)
• A breakdown of the total cost of the accommodation and any travel costs, including details of mode of transport to and from the accommodation.  The maximum nightly rate which can be claimed is £150.
• The total amount requested.  A maximum of £600 can be requested.

A grant can only be awarded towards the applicant’s cost of the break away. If you are accompanied on the break a detailed breakdown of the cost must be provided so that only the applicant’s proportion can be calculated.

If you are staying with family or friends a grant can only be awarded towards the cost of travel to and from the location.

Grants are only available for short breaks within the United Kingdom.

• If you have undergone minor surgery the break away must be taken within 2 weeks of the date of your operation.
• If you have undergone major surgery the break away must be taken within 6 weeks of the date of your operation.
• If you have had an acute episode of a continuing medical condition your application will be dealt with on its individual merits in deciding when the break away should be taken, although it must be taken 10 weeks of the grant being awarded.

In the case of planned surgery you should submit your application as soon as you have been given a date for admission to hospital. A decision will then be given in principle and, if you are successful, payment of the grant made closer to the time.

Unfortunately grants are not available for short breaks which have already occurred. The application process is to support future breaks.

Upon successfully being awarded a grant for a short break, these can be paid either:

• Directly to the accommodation on production of an invoice.
• To you on production of a receipted invoice.

Grants must be paid and breaks away taken within the timescale set at the time the grant is awarded. Any grant not paid within this timescale, or any balance of grant remaining, will no longer be available.

When we are considering your application, it is essential for the trustees to have as much information as possible on your medical circumstances and how you would benefit from the help requested.

The referee cannot be a relative of the applicant, in situations such as this please find an alternative referee.

The referee must complete and sign the Referee Section of the form and provide a supporting statement.

Please note we may contact your referee to verify the information given within your application form.

The form should be completed, signed and dated by either your GP, your nurse practitioner or, if you are undergoing treatment at a hospital, by your hospital consultant.

The practice stamp must include:

1. The name of the medical practitioner who has signed the form. Applications which do not include this information will unfortunately be returned.
2. The practice/hospital from which they work.

Applications must be submitted within one month of the date on the medical practitioner’s statement. If this section of the form is undated the form will be returned.

When we are considering your application, it is essential for the trustees to have as much information as possible on your medical circumstances and how you would benefit from the help requested.

There is a 2 stage application process.

1.   Stage 1 - You will be asked to submit an initial enquiry form giving your details, including the nature of your recent illness or injury.  If you have an ongoing condition you will need to provide the date of the last acute episode of your condition.  A decision will then be made whether you meet the eligibility criteria for a recent illness or injury.  If you meet this criteria you will be sent an application form to complete and return.  If you do not meet this requirement you will be notified that you are unable to continue with an application for a grant.

2.    Stage 2 -  Once your completed application form is received this is sent to three trustees who will each decide whether an award should be granted and, if so, the amount to be awarded.

The responses of the three trustees are then considered alongside each other and an award granted or refused on the basis of the comments made.

The decision of the trustees is final and there is no appeal process.

Applications are submitted to the trustees monthly.  You will be notified once your application is with the Trustees.

The Frederick Andrew Trust aims to let you have a decision within 3 weeks of your application being sent to the Trustees. 

We have a range of grants available to support women after a recent illness and injury. These include:

• Help around the house, such as cleaning, washing and ironing, cooking or just generally keeping things tidy around your home.
• Support from professional health care providers including physiotherapy sessions, occupational therapy, speech therapy, dieticians, prosthetists, hearing or sight loss professionals for example.
• A short break away in a hotel, bed and breakfast accommodation or a convalescent home.

We are here to help when you most need us, but unfortunately we cannot awarded grants within a 4 year timeframe of a previous grant.