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The Benevolent Society of Saint Patrick Grant

The Benevolent Society of St Patrick was instituted in 1783 to assist Irish people in need residing in London. The purpose of the grant is to relieve hardship.   Currently, the Society distributes money by way of small grants to Irish people in London who are in need. These grants usually range from £50 to £350.

Grants are given for the following purposes:
  • To provide items of clothing or footwear
  • To provide essential items of household equipment
  • To give emergency support for winter heating requirements
  • To pay for funeral travel expenses
  • To support moves to new accommodation
  • To support convalescence
  • To provide special educational items

Please read the guidance (link below) for more information before you apply for a grant.

To apply for a grant, please complete the Grant Application Form (link below) and email it to - [email protected]   
or post it to The BSOSP Grant Administrator, SIPP, 6 Market Place, London, SE16 3UQ.

Please Note: We process grants for people who live south of the river Thames.
If you live north of the river Thames, please send your application to the London Irish Centre - https://londonirishcentre.org.

Southwark Common Good Fund 

This is a limited fund, set up from a one-off grant from the Mayor of Southwark's Common Good Trust Charity to Southwark Irish Pensioners Project (SIPP) and can only be awarded to those in most need.          It is generally expected that the applicant is unable to have their needs met from another source.

Grants are available to Southwark residents who are struggling with poverty. If an applicant is not on a means-tested benefit, they must demonstrate that they are otherwise on a low income and are without the means to support their needs with savings or investments.
 
Please note: We do not make payments directly to individuals.
 
Grants will be given for the following purposes: 
*   To provide essential items of household equipment e.g. fridge, microwave, cooker
*   To provide essential items of clothing and footwear  
In exceptional circumstances applications that do not meet the criteria set out above may be considered.
 
The overall nature of a potential beneficiary’s circumstances will be assessed when considering applications.    Key indicators of need include financial status, age, number of dependents, physical and mental health status, and condition, plus security of accommodation. The maximum standard grant award is £400. Only one application can be made per year in respect of a given individual/household. 
 
Applications by third-party organisations are encouraged, usually charities. Applications by public bodies, such as Social Services departments, will also be considered, with the proviso that statutory funding to meet the identified need is not available.
Organisations are required to complete the appropriate application form in full; provide the required supporting documentation listed below; sign and date the form and ensure that the beneficiary also signs the form. 
Completed application forms and supporting information should be emailed to [email protected]  .
If successful, a BACS payment (bank transfer) will be made to the applicant’s organisation. 

Individual applications must be made through Southwark Irish Pensioners Project. Please phone 0207 237 5841 for an appointment with our advice worker. They will review your application form and required documents and pass them for processing. If you need help completing the form, they will assist you during this appointment. 
If successful, you will be informed by phone or email and a delivery date arranged. 

Applications will usually be processed within 3 weeks of receipt of a correctly completed application form and the required supporting evidence. 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Please provide the following 2 pieces of supporting information with your application

1.   Proof of the beneficiary’s entitlement to/receipt of means-tested benefits, dated within the last three months. This should be a DWP letter or a bank statement itemising the benefit payment.
If a client is not in receipt of such benefits, please provide details of income.

2.   A bank statement dated within the last three months, with the beneficiary’s name, address and the statement balance clearly present.

It is generally expected that an unsuccessful application has already been made to a local authority, or that information is provided on the form that costs cannot be supported by such schemes. Please provide copy of refusal letter.
 
Applicant organisations must provide the Administrator with receipts, as evidence that monies awarded were spent on the items to the value of the amount requested. Failure to provide this evidence may lead to the applicant organisation having to repay the grant in full. Equally, if agencies do not comply with this requirement, we will no longer accept their applications. 
 
Occasionally, we may request that an applicant/organisation provides case study information to demonstrate the impact of the grant awarded.

To Apply:   
Please email the Administrator for an application form - [email protected]. 
Alternatively, pop into the office at 6 Market Place, Bermondsey, SE16 3UQ.