Grants to support members in financial hardship to take part in Scouting

The Scout Association has a fund to help support young people and adult members who are finding it difficult to afford Scouting.

The Benevolent Fund

All Groups, Districts and Counties/Areas/Regions can make an application for members struggling with the costs of Scouting. The fund was created to ‘support members, individuals and Groups, focusing on areas of community development, particularly new Groups in areas of deprivation.’ It helps support:

• camp or event fees
• the purchase of uniforms
• costs to undertake Scouting

We cannot fund membership fees
We cannot fund wood badge training

NB: Please be advised that core camp costs such as food, camping fees, and Scouting activities may be covered by the fund; clothing will be covered only where it is required to identify members as part of the Group. Costs such as theme park trips, donations to other organisations (where not related to a service provided for the event) and contingency will not be covered. Evidence that can help you make best judgement of ‘financial hardship’ would be if a family is in receipt of/eligible for one of the following:

• total household income level below £23,000 in London or below £20,000 outside London
• young carer (recognised by relevant authorities)
• looked after child (in care)
• free school meals* or pupil premium funding
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and annual income does not exceed £16,190 as assessed by HMRC
• Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Disability Living Allowance (related to the young person or parent)
• guarantee element of State Pension Credit

*Free school meals are provided to all pupils in the lower years of primary schools in England and Wales, so the other indicators are more valid in these circumstances.

More information about the financial hardship criteria and evidence requirements can be found here.

Funding limits and conditions

• Applicants are eligible for one grant award totalling no more than £2,000 each financial year.
• A maximum of 50% of costs may be made as a grant.
• Applications cannot subsidise a whole Group/Unit activity, and can only be awarded to those participants who have been named on the application form and for whom evidence has been submitted.
• Only one application can be received for an individual activity, so if you are completing an activity with another Scouting body please complete one application only.
• Payment must be made to a Scouting account (to a unit, Group, District, County or Region) rather than to individuals.
• The level of reserves held by the Scouting body applying for the funding will be considered as part of the grant award process.

To find out how to apply, and to access our application forms click here.