St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity is committed to preventing homelessness and helping people secure a safe home. We offer fast emergency grants through our Vicar’s Relief Fund to help people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The crisis grants help people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness access safe accommodation or keep the accommodation they are in. This funding reaches them at speed, through frontline workers who apply to our Vicar’s Relief Fund on behalf of the people they are supporting. The money helps people into safety by contributing to costs such as rent deposits, or to stay in their home by covering rent arrears.

Only frontline support workers can apply for a grant on behalf of individuals that they are supporting, we do not accept applications from members of the public or volunteers, only from paid frontline workers.

Umar*

Umar was granted refugee status after a period living in temporary accommodation as an asylum seeker in the UK....

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VRF Stories

  • Jo

    In summer 2019, Jo was running a successful burger van after a career change and was settled and happy renting a house near her two daughters. She had event bookings in the diary for over a year running up to October 2020, catering for various weekend events from birthdays to ploughing competitions. “I was rebuilding…

  • Aaron

    “Within 3 or 4 weeks I lost my mum from cancer. And then my girlfriend walked out on me around the same time”.   Within a month, Aaron’s life turned upside down when he lost his mum and his relationship ended, which meant he had to leave the home he shared with his girlfriend.   “I didn’t…

  • Gail*

    Gail* was in her late 60s when she was referred to West Mercia Women’s Aid by her social worker. She was living in sheltered housing with her husband of many years but his constant coercion, verbal abuse and threats of violence had become too much for her to bear and she was self-harming and had become isolated…

What we fund

What we fund

Whilst these are cash grants, they are only given when funding specific things that we require evidence for. They are issued quickly and efficiently via experienced support workers.

We consider funding:

£350 maximum to prevent eviction e.g. for rent arrears, service charge arrears, debt relief orders, bankruptcy fees or money to pay for a hoarding clean-up.

£500 maximum to help access accommodation e.g. for rent deposits, rent in advance, ID fees or temporary accommodation costs.

Are you a support worker, looking to apply for a grant on behalf of one of the people you support?

Click here to make an application in the grant portal.

Chrissy's Story

September 2024 VRF Figures

448

applications made this month

£172,275

awarded this month

638

beneficiaries this month

  • The Frontline Network

    You help specialist workers and organisations across the UK to access new funding, share expertise and find new and innovative ways of providing meaningful support for anyone experiencing homelessness. 

  • The Frontline Fund

    We fund organisations to deliver services to support people experiencing homelessness. We currently fund six projects, based across the four nations of the UK. The projects each focus on supporting people to secure, and keep, a safe place to live. This includes providing access to healthcare, legal advice and mental health support to help people…

  • Two people drinking coffee

    Mental Health Fund
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