GUIDELINES FOR THOSE APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM XIII HEROES HUMAN NEEDS FUNDS

XIII Heroes has limited funds which the charity uses to assist in the purchase of specialist equipment or facilities/services to enable those who need some help to achieve their full potential and lead independent and fulfilled lives. Each request is considered on its own merits by the fund trustees, who may seek independent advice where appropriate, and will be granted after due consideration and with regard to the funds available at the time.

(NB: the primary obligation for the provision of specialist equipment or facilities/services to people with serious injuries lies with either the local health authority or social services.)

1) Grants from the fund are strictly limited to those fall within the stated object.

2) XIII Heroes fund is designed to help those who find that funding from their local health authority, social services or personal assets does not meet the full cost of the specialist equipment or facilities/services they need. In such cases a top-up grant will be considered if the application is accompanied by proof that all statutory sources of funding have been exhausted.

3) Only in exceptional circumstances will the fund meet the full cost of specialist equipment or facilities/services and again will require evidence that statutory sources have declined to offer any funding at all.

4) The fund welcomes requests from applicants who can either raise from other charitable sources part of the money towards the cost of the specialist equipment or make a donation themselves. In such cases XIII Heroes will consider making up the difference.

5) Since the fund is regarded as a safety net, applicants must show that they have no alternative sources of funding.

6) The fund is principally for the provision of specialist equipment/services, though requests for funding for other needs may be considered.

7) Applicants must complete the application form and when duly returned, will take 4-6 weeks to process.

8) The fund will only consider requests that include a recommendation from an occupational therapist/GP that the equipment or facilities/services being requested best suits the needs of the applicant.

9) All applications must be accompanied by a recommendation from the applicant’s consultant or their GP.

10) No funding can be supplied for specialist equipment or facilities/services that the applicant has already purchased and paid for.

11) If the fund agrees to meet part or all of the cost of the purchase of any equipment, the applicant will not be eligible to make any further requests to the fund for a period of 1 year.

12) The fund accepts no residual responsibility to replace the equipment it funds once it wears out, nor the maintenance or insurance of that equipment.

13) If the applicant’s financial circumstances change after receiving a grant from XIII Heroes – for example if they receive a large compensation payment – the charity would expect that its grant be repaid so as to enable it to help those in greater need.