Our grants for older people can only be accessed via a third-party Referral Agent who knows you in a professional support role or community capacity and submits the application on your behalf.
Examples of potential Referral Agents include someone from:
- Your local authority (housing officer, social worker, councillor)
- Your local health support services (care worker, support worker, health professional)
- Your housing association
- A charity or community organisation (community centre, support group, activity group)
- Advice providers (Citizen’s Advice/CABx, Age UK),
- Cultural and religious centres (e.g. Churches, Mosques, Temples etc).
- A Doctor/GP surgery can be a referrer, but only if they are willing to submit the application and follow through on its outcome.
Private contractors, friends, family, neighbours, and other individuals cannot act as Referral Agents.
If you do not know anyone who can be your referral agent, please contact the following helplines who should be able to put you in touch with someone in your area:
Age UK
You can call their advice line on 0800 055 6112, 8am to 7pm, every day of the year. You can also go online and find your nearest branch: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area/
Citizen’s Advice
You can call their advice lines on
Adviceline (England): 03444 111 444
Advicelink (Wales): 03444 77 20 20
Textphone: 18001 03444 111 445
9am to 5pm, every day of the year. You can also go online and find your nearest branch:https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/
Your Referral Agent will be able to find everything they need to help you at www.fote.org.uk/grants