If you would like to apply for a grant from our Essential Living Fund, please click the links listed below.
We have no restriction on who we can help as long as they are legally resident in the UK. This means we can help individuals, couples and families.
Our funds are limited, so we may not be able to help everyone who requests support, even if they are eligible.
Our grants help people change their lives for the better, enabling those in need of financial support cope when things get tough, manage better day-to-day and build a stronger future.
We only accept applications from support workers. If you are an individual requiring support, please see the section below called "who can submit an application".
Through our Essential Living Fund, we provide small grants for household items and essential clothing.
You may apply for up to three items, however it is unlikely we will be able to help with all three and in most cases we are only able to assist with one item. Please find below the items we can routinely fund, those we can fund in exceptional cases and those where we are unable to help.
Items routinely considered:
Items considered where additional circumstances apply (see brackets):
Requests where we are unable to help:
Reasons why we may not be able to assist:
We are able to provide one grant per applicant/family, once every three years.
From Monday 20th March 2023
We are unable to register any new organisations, or additional branches of registered organisations, for Essential Living Fund grants.
However, if your organisation/branch is already registered, you may still apply for an individual user account by following the instructions shown here
We know that by working with support workers from frontline agencies, people are able to receive a wider range of assistance. For that reason, we only accept applications from support workers. If you are an individual requiring support, you may be able to receive assistance from:
If any of these organisations is not already registered with us, they will need to register their organisation and then the support worker who will make the application. Further guidance on registering an organisation and support worker can be found here.
Read more about our new programme, The Flexible Frontline Fund here
Because we consider applications for almost anyone in financial need, we want to ensure that our support only goes to those who cannot be helped by others. For that reason, please apply to other funders before applying to us.
Other funders include:
1. Check with your local authority who may have a Local Welfare Scheme or fund.
2. Identify other charitable funders by using the Turn2Us grants search tool.
If you have applied to your local welfare scheme or a charity, please wait for the decision before applying to us for the same request. If you applied and a grant was not offered, please outline this in the ‘Grant Funding’ section of our application form. If you do not include this information, it could either delay the application or result in the application being rejected (declined for funding).
From Monday 20th March 2023
We are unable to register any new organisations, or additional branches of registered organisations, for Essential Living Fund grants.
However, if your organisation/branch is already registered, you may still apply for an individual user account by following the instructions shown here
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from your organisation if they do not meet these criteria.
From Monday 20th March 2023
We are unable to register any new organisations, or additional branches of registered organisations, for Essential Living Fund grants.
However, if your organisation/branch is already registered, you may still apply for an individual user account by following the instructions shown here
If the branch of the agency/organisation where you are based is not already registered on GrantsPlus, it will need to be registered before a support worker can register as a system user and submit grant applications.
The first person to register their branch/agency becomes by default the ‘authorising contact’ This is the person who approves other colleagues when they apply to register as system users. Ideally, this should be a senior member of staff, such as a line manager or team leader. The ‘authorising contact’ can be changed to a different member of staff at any time, as long as they are already registered on GrantsPlus as a user. If you need to change the ‘authorising contact’ please email us at: grants@glasspool.org.uk
Your agency’s details (Please only select 'Charity/CIO/CIC' from the list if you are a charity and no other option applies.)
Your personal details (i.e. name, dept., job title etc.)
Your individual work email address (this cannot be a shared email address due to GDPR)
A password (known only to you)
Within 10 minutes you will receive three emails containing links you will need to approve before you complete your registration. Once they have been approved, your registration will be complete and you will be able to log into, create and submit applications on GrantsPlus.
Please email us at grants@glasspool.org.uk if you require further help to register.
If your organisation is not registered with us please see Register your agency/organisation on GrantsPlus (our online grants application system)
From Monday 20th March 2023
We are unable to register any new organisations, or additional branches of registered organisations, for Essential Living Fund grants.
However, if your organisation/branch is already registered, you may still apply for an individual user account by following the instructions shown below:
Go to https://www.grantsplus.org.uk/ and click ‘Register’, select ‘user at an agency’.
In the box that asks for the agency, type your agency’s name. As you type you should see it ‘pop up’ in the drop-down box. Please make sure this is the branch/office where you are based (and not your head office).
Click on the ‘pop up’ (which is blue – see screen grab below). Make sure you select the ‘pop up’ of your agency (don’t click ‘New’ or anywhere else on the screen) then just scroll down the page. You will see that it has automatically included your agency details (which have already been added to GrantsPlus).
Please email us at grants@glasspool.org.uk if you require further help to register.
Please do not make an application to us where the person/family you are supporting is due to move to a different property or has a move date sometime in the future. Please only submit applications when the move has already taken place.
This is so that our limited funding is used for the people requiring support at the time when they need it the most.
We are not able to consider an application where someone is about to move / due to move / has a move date some time in the future.
To log in to GrantsPlus to make or check the progress of an application, you will need your registration email address and password.
If you can’t remember your password, enter your registration email address and click the red ‘Password Reset’ button found in the log in box. You will then be sent a password reset email.
Once you have logged in you will be taken to your dashboard. The icons show the various stages of your application. Click an icon and you will be taken to those applications.
+ Create New Application
This will start a new blank application for you to complete. The application form uses a wizard to take you through the process. As you complete each section, you will be taken to the next one.
Summary Details Section. This will appear once you have saved your application for the first time. This page cannot be edited. It shows a summary of the applicant’s details and the needs being requested. This information is taken from those sections of the application.
Application – My Applications
This will take you to all of your applications that have not been concluded, regardless of their status (i.e. ‘New’; ‘Further info requested’; ‘Offers issued’ etc.)
This will take you to a list of all your applications.
Applications – Offers Issued
This will take you to your applications where a grant offer has been made. You will need to review and press the ‘Accept’ button to confirm the offer if suitable. If not suitable, you will need to send us a message via the ‘Communication’s link’
Applications – Further Info
This will take you to your applications where we have requested additional information. The information that we have requested can be viewed from the ‘Submit Application’ page of the application.
Applications – Conditional
This will take you to your applications where we will offer a grant, but there is a condition that is required before the offer can be made.
Applications – New
This will take you to your incomplete applications, ones you have started but not yet submitted.
Applications – Submitted
This will take you to your applications that have been submitted for assessment.
Please make sure you add the details and information of all members of the household to the application. This is anyone who lives at this address (overnight) for the majority of the time. This includes husband, wife, partner, children, carer, friend or flat mate etc.
To make an application, you first need to confirm that you have understood and adhere to our data protection policy. The tick box will need to be ticked before proceeding. If you see an error message saying ‘Data Protection – Data Protection Policy must be confirmed’ you will need to tick the statement box. The same applies for the UK Residency tick box.
Applicants section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Please fill in the first page of the application and press the ‘Save’ button. You will then be able to
upload the consent form.
Household Finances Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Presenting Issues Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Needs Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Needs Questionnaire Section
This is where you will be prompted to answer questions about the item you are requesting:
Once you have answered the last question and click ‘ok’, you will move to the next section.
Statutory Questionnaire Section
This is where you will be prompted to answer questions such as:
Once you have answered the last question and click ‘ok’, you will move to the next section.
Support Offered Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section
Grant Funding Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Additional Support Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Outcomes Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Additional Info Section
Once you have finished, click ‘Save & Continue’ to move to the next section.
Submit Application
Please press the ‘Submit’ button. Shortly afterwards you will receive an automated email from GrantsPlus acknowledging receipt of your application.
Please do not make an application to us where the person/family you are supporting is due to move to a different property or has a move date sometime in the future. Please only submit applications when the move has already taken place. This is so that our limited funding is used for the people requiring support at the time when they need it the most.
We are not able to consider an application where someone is about to move / due to move / has a move date some time in the future.
If the person you are supporting is living in temporary accommodation and likely to be there for some considerable time, please let us know how long the person expects to be living in the temporary home and if a grant was offered, whether they would be able to take the item with them?
If you submit an application that has incomplete consent from the person you are supporting we would be unable to assess the application, and will revert the application back to 'new' status. You may not be able to submit the application if we have received as many applications as we can fund for that week. Please check GrantsPlus regularly to see if we are accepting new applications.
If we need further information you will be sent an email notification and a link that takes you to the specific application and to the relevant section on the form.
If you don’t have the link, you can view this information request by opening the application and clicking the ‘Submit Application’ link under SECTIONS, on the right-hand side of the screen. Further Information required will be here. Please amend any sections of the form as necessary and ‘save’ to update the form. Then return to the ‘Submit Application’ page to add your reply in the box. Finally, click the 'Submit' button to resubmit the application and your reply back to us.
Reasons why we might ask for further information:
Please send us a message via the ‘View Communications’ section located under ‘Tools’ menu.
Please send us a message via the ‘View Communications’ section located under ‘Tools’ menu.
If we haven’t yet been in contact with you:
If we have been corresponding with you about the application (and may have already ordered the item) please send us a message via the ‘View Communications’ section located under ‘Tools’ menu.
If we are able to make an offer of a grant, you will be sent an email that asks you to log into the application and to go to the ‘offer details’ section of the application to view and accept the offer. (To do this; log in to GrantsPlus, open the application and click the ‘Offer Details’ link under SECTIONS, on the right-hand side of the screen).
Please check the size and type of the item (particularly whether a cooker is electric or gas).
If suitable press the ACCEPT button, if the offer is not suitable, do not press ‘Accept’, please send us a message via the ‘View Communications’ section located under ‘Tools’ menu.
AO will then contact the person receiving the item to arrange delivery. Please see this link for information about AO’s deliveries during Covid-19. If you need to contact AO, please call 01204 672866.
Please check the offer and if suitable, press the ACCEPT button. If it isn’t suitable do not press ‘Accept’, please send us a message via the ‘View Communications’ section located under ‘Tools’ menu. Dreams will then contact the support worker who submitted the application to arrange delivery. Please note that Bedding is not provided directly via Dreams but is made via a grant to the referring organisation (See section on BACS payments below). Please see this link for information about bed delivery during Covid-19. If you need to contact Dreams please call 01628 535336.
If the grant is for something other than white goods or beds, for example clothing, bedding, flooring or other household furniture such as a sofa or wardrobe, the grant will be paid via a bank transfer to a support worker’s organisation. The support worker will need to liaise with the person they are supporting to obtain the item they requested and Glasspool approved. Once the offer is accepted payment should be received in your organisation's bank within 10 working days.
Click ‘Reject’ next to each offer line. You will then be asked to confirm that you want to reject the offer. A further pop-up box will then ask you why you want to reject the offer. Please select the reason from the dropdown list and click ‘Reject Offer’. You can click ‘Cancel’ to close the option.
You will be unable to cancel the application. Please email us at grants@glasspool.org.uk quoting the application reference number (GA0……) and reasons for cancelling.
There are currently no changes to services that our suppliers are providing. Please see Glasspool Grants Status page for more information.
If you can’t remember your password, enter your registration email address and click the red ‘Password Reset’ button found in the log in box.
You will then be sent a password reset email.
To track the progress of an application, please check GrantsPlus for the latest information. Log in to GrantsPlus using your username and password and enter the GA reference number.
AO can be contacted on 01204 672866 (please quote the GA reference if you can)
Dreams can be contacted on 01628 535336 (please quote the postcode)
If you can’t find the information you need on our website, please email us at grants@glasspool.org.uk
We encourage support workers to send us messages via GrantsPlus – it is the most secure way to contact us because emails can be hacked. We answer our GrantsPlus messages every day. However, if you have not heard back from us after five days it may mean that your message has not reached us, so you may then email us at grants@glasspool.org.uk.
Do not include any personal information in an email to meet GDPR guidance. Please include the GA reference number to help us locate the application. If you require a progress update on an application, log in to GrantsPlus using your username and password and enter the GA reference number.
If we cannot offer a grant, we will outline the reason why, such as ‘Out of Scope’ or ‘Previous Award Given’ in the ‘Status Explanation’ box under the ‘Decision’ section of the application, located at the bottom of the Summary Details page.