Financial Hardship Fund

• Travel expenses such as bus tickets, train tickets, fuel, car maintenance, parking fees and taxi fares.
• Food costs associated with a neutropenic diet, eating a high-calorie diet to avoid weight loss or simply coping with normal food costs on a reduced income.
• Utilities such as gas, electricity, or water.
• Internet access.

One grant per family.

Maximum award of £200.

Grants cannot be applied for retrospectively.

1. Patients with leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) that are currently undergoing treatment, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients on ‘watch and wait’, or chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients undergoing treatment-free remission.
2. Families of patients with leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) that are currently undergoing treatment, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients on ‘watch and wait’, or chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients undergoing treatment-free remission.
3. Previous recipients of the Leukaemia Care Hospital Travel Fund may not be eligible to receive the Financial Hardship Fund; however, please contact us for additional support.

The fund operates on a monthly basis. There is no closing date, awards are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until the fund is depleted each month.

One grant per family and grants cannot be applied for retrospectively.

How to apply

There are two ways to apply:

1. Online via this link: https://www.leukaemiacare.org.uk/support-and-information/support-for-you/financial-hardship-fund/financial-hardship-fund-application-form/ 
2. By downloading our paper form and sending it to us via email or in the post. The paper form can be downloaded here.

If applying online:

• We will not ask you for any bank details. If you are successful we will contact you directly for these.
• We will still require a copy of a letter from your consultant confirming your diagnosis (scan and/or photocopies are acceptable). When your application form has been received we will email you for this

If using the paper form:

• please return to advocacy@leukaemiacare.org.uk or via post to FREEPOST RLXX-RJRA-ACRH, Leukaemia Care, One Birch Court, Blackpole East, Worcester, WR3 8SG
• Please enclose a copy of a letter from your consultant confirming your diagnosis – scan and/or photocopies are acceptable.

If you have any queries about the fund or how to complete the application form, please call the Leukaemia Care helpline on 08088 010 444 and ask to speak with Lisa Barnett.

Processing your application

1. We will acknowledge receipt of your application.
2. Your application will be assessed by the Patient Advocacy team.
3. You can expect a decision within 10 working days of Leukaemia Care assessing your application.
4. All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by email or post.
5. Successful applicants will also be contacted by phone to discuss next steps.
6. We may ask you to confirm your bank details by providing a paying-in slip or the top half of your bank statement

Your application will only be assessed if:

• you meet all of the eligibility criteria.
• all parts of the application form are fully completed.
• there are funds remaining within the Hardship fund for distribution.

What you can expect if your application is successful

We will ask you for feedback on receipt of the grant, to allow Leukaemia Care to measure the impact of the service on people affected by a diagnosis of leukaemia, MDS or MPN. We will also contact you to see if we can help with anything else. Leukaemia Care has a dedicated benefits advisor and an advocacy officer who can help with accessing further grants or with other issues resulting from the diagnosis such as time off work.

If your application is unsuccessful

We are sorry your application has been unsuccessful. This is likely due to one of two reasons; either you do not meet the eligibility criteria or, the Financial Hardship Fund has been exhausted due to high demand. We will contact you to see if we can help in another way.

Confidentiality

Your personal information will only be used for the purposes of assessing your application and if successful, to administer payment and to evidence the impact of the service on you.