Who are the Licensed Trade Charity?
We were set up by a group of Publicans in 1793 to support people from the trade. We offer support with mental health, housing, health, money and education to people who work or have previously worked in the licensed drinks industry and are going through a difficult time. This includes people who have now retired.
What services do LTC offer?
We’re dedicated to supporting and empowering those who work tirelessly within and are associated with the pub, bar and brewery community with emotional wellbeing, practical and financial support. This also includes supporting close family members in the same household such as dependant children and partners. We care about helping people transform their lives and instilling coping mechanisms for them to manage the challenges of life to get back on track.
Who can access information and emotional support from the LTC?
Those operating within (or have retired from) businesses where the sale, consumption and supply of alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks under license is the predominant part of the on-trade sales mix.
Will my employer know?
Only if you decide to tell them. Our services are 100% confidential and no personal data is shared with your employer.
Who can benefit from financial grants from the LTC?
If you are struggling with your finances and have limited savings, we can offer financial support to help you get back on track.
People who we helped before were experiencing things such as:
- being behind with their bills
- needing support due to reduced income
- having to secure alternative accommodation or necessary household items.
- and many others
We welcome applications from people working within (or have retired from or have moved on) businesses where the sale / consumption and supply of alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks under license is the predominant part of the on-trade sales mix. We are looking at a minimum of 5 continuous years in such employment.
What does the application process look like?
Please call our helpline in the 1st place. After speaking to one of our helpline advisors, you will be referred to our grants team and we will get in touch to explain our application process to you and find out more about your situation.
You will receive a link to our online application form which you will be asked to complete. The form includes questions about your income, expenditure, savings, debts. We will also ask you to provide bank statements for all your and your partner’s accounts (if you have a partner who lives in the same household). In addition, we will ask you to either use HMRC self-service to obtain your employment records or sign consent to information sharing which allows us to contact HMRC on your behalf. HMRC will then provide a list of your employers over the years. No other information will be shared.
Once we have all the information from you, we might suggest a home visit by one of our charity services volunteers. This will give you an opportunity to discuss your situation in full confidence, with a trusted LTC representative who will then write a summary of their visit, which will strengthen your case.
We will then look at all the information available to us and decide about your award.
What happens if I’m successful?
We will inform you on the phone and in writing. We will also work with you, so you know how your award is being distributed. We usually pay directly to creditors or suppliers, so if the award is towards clearing council tax debts, we will pay it directly to your local authority. In some cases, when the award is towards supporting you with either one-off or a short-term hardship, we will pay the money directly to your bank account or issue you with retail vouchers that you will receive via email.
What if I am unsuccessful and my application is declined?
We refuse a small percentage of all applications for financial grant. When that happens, we will explain to you why we were unable to award you a grant (this could be for example because we have substantially helped before, or because what you are asking for is outside of our scope for assistance). We will also signpost you to other sources of help, both statutory and charitable so that hopefully, you can get the help you need.
How can LTC charity grants help me?
We may be able to consider help with personal financial hardship, for example priority debts such as rent or council tax arrears. We can also help with household items, unexpected bills, funeral grants, educational grants, for example help with costs of school trips and school uniforms for children. We may also be able to help with health needs such as hospital transport costs and mobility scooters. And we may be able to help with rental deposits and moving expenses when needed. Short-term assistance to pay the bills when sickness or mental health issues make coping tough is also available. Our help covers one-off or short-term needs and all our grants are assessed on an individual basis.
How often can I apply for help?
Repeat applications within 3 years are usually not considered. After 3 years since the last award, we will consider repeat applications in cases where there was significant change in circumstances for example relationship breakdowns, bereavement, critical illness, redundancy etc.
Is there anything you cannot help with?
We cannot help with ongoing and long-term needs. We cannot help with care fees, legal fees or the costs of running your business. We are also unable to help with fees for schools (other than LVS Ascot) or with university fees.
Will I have to pay the money back?
No, you don’t. It’s worth knowing that our charity grants will not affect your benefit entitlement.
What proof do you need to confirm an application for a financial grant meets our eligibility criteria?
We ask all our applicants to sign an HMRC form giving us permission to ask for their employment history records. Alternatively, you can use HMRC self-service to obtain your employment history.
What other services are available?
We can also help with:
– Housing Association accommodation for people aged 55 and over
– Specialist services to help with:
– getting back into employment
– gambling
– housing issues
– residential rehabilitation (physical and mental health).
Those services are provided through our partnership organisations.
– Bursaries for day and boarding places at our LVS Ascot School.
