Increasing the limit for requests for help
You may have noticed that the monetary limit for requests for help has increased on our website, which means that our local partners can now post requests up to the upper limit of £200 (instead of the previous £150). This is a decision we have recently made, with our Trustees, to make sure that we can continue to help individuals with the items that they need most.
Why?
With the rising cost of living in the UK we have been made aware that it is becoming increasingly difficult for our Advocates, and their recipients, to find larger items within the previous limit of £150.
Therefore, we have made the decision to increase the limit for requests to £200. However, as with our previous limit on requests, we ask our Advocates to only use this upper limit where absolutely necessary for specific larger items, such as cookers, washing machines and fridge freezers.
Although we have increased the upper limit for each request, one household is still able to have up to three requests. This means that we can enable our donors to help individuals and families in a crisis, but highlights that we're not an on-going financial support.
Alongside the guidelines around the upper limit we also have in place other guidelines on some items, and have increased or stipulated these where we feel necessary. We have placed reasonable limits for some specific items, such as £100 for a mobile phone or £75 for a microwave.
How do we keep track of these limits?
With the launch of our new website and back-end systems in June 2022, we were able to integrate some new processes. One of these processes is that each request posted by our local partners gets read by our staff team before it goes live onto the website. This enables us to question and, where needed, amend the amount or request. This process helps us to keep the system fair for every applicant, making sure all our guidelines are adhered to.
As we increase the limit on each request we're very thankful to all our donors, each giving what they can; whether meeting a need in full or giving towards a request. In 2022 the most popular amount donated was £50, which on its own wouldn't be sufficient to meet in full one of the requests on our website. That's what we love about Acts 435 - it is as people donate, alongside others, to the same need, that they can together support an individual in crisis. We are trusting that in spite of the cost of living crisis continuing to impact so many, our donors will still step up with us in generosity to continue to meet the needs of those seeking our help, even as we increase the maximum limit of our requests.
Give to an urgent need today!
The average time for a need to be fully funded is currently 2 days
£200 needed for a washing machine
J has two young children under the age of four and is on her own. She has just moved into a housing association property, but has no white goods. J has managed to buy a second-hand fridge freezer, but cannot afford a washing machine. We are grateful for your support for this family. The local electrical appliance company will supply and fit it promptly.
£200 needed for carpet fitting
L is caring for her grandchild who has complex health issues and needs regular hospital appointments in Leeds. This is putting a huge strain on L's finances, coupled with the fact that they have recently had to move to a larger house to accommodate their grandchild. The new property has no carpets down and is cold, damp and unsafe. Social services has raised this as a safety issue that needs dealing with as soon as possible. Please could our kind donors help us to keep this family safe?
£160 needed for an orthopaedic mattress
C, who is struggling financially to make ends meet, has not been working as she has been battling severe back pain and has been unable to work lately. She has been managing with her Universal Credit to cover all bills and food, but barely has nothing left. C has been advised to get an orthopaedic mattress by the occupational therapist to support with her back, but cannot afford it now and needs our support to meet this.
£200 needed for a washing machine
L has had a tough few years and has recently relocated areas, meaning he has a limited support network around him and is struggling to make ends meet. He is in the midst of trying to find permanent paid employment, now that he has relocated. L's washing machine has unfortunately broken, just before Christmas. £200 would allow us to provide a voucher for him to buy a replacement which will hopefully help towards his job search by allowing him to be able to wash his clothing.
£200 needed for lounge and stairs carpets
Our client lives with his small family and has been unable to work due to the worsening of a physical condition which has rendered him disabled. He is on a very low income and has not long moved into this property that had carpets removed by the housing association. The client regularly falls, due to nerve damage, and has on more than one occasion seriously hurt his face falling onto floorboards and concrete. He has managed to carpet some rooms, but with your help we can complete the lounge and stairs.
£200 needed for an electric cooker
M is a single dad to three children living who are living in a small flat. He is unable to work at present due to poorly controlled type 1 diabetes and its associated health issues. M is dependent on basic benefits and has no savings or any other financial help. The family needed two new beds and bedding, which have been provided by Home Church Torquay. In addition, the cooker is irreparably broken, due to its age. The family is surviving by cooking with an air-fryer currently, and desperately needs a new cooker.
£120 needed for a laptop
Our friend, who is seeking sanctuary in the UK from Kenya, needs a laptop for his college assignments. He is very committed to is studying for his Construction Skills Certification Scheme certificate and is also studying IT, so a working laptop is really essential for him.
£200 needed for a washing machine
F suffers from fibromyalgia which has left her unable to work and, in turn, has led to her struggling financially. She is using a low-cost food pantry to be able to afford food, and even so, her benefits barely cover her basic costs each week. F has no washing machine and finds it very difficult, not to mention expensive, to carry her washing to the launderette, and hand washing clothes is very painful. Your support to buy a washing machine would really help her daily life.
£200 needed for a fridge freezer
After suffering a breakdown, V was allowed to leave hospital after months of therapy, only to discover when she got home that her fridge freezer had stopped working and the food had rotted inside. V, who cannot afford to replace the fridge freezer as she only receives benefits, now has to ask her neighbour to go to the shops for her daily to get fresh food and she is feeling like a burden to her neighbour. V has older children, but they work during the day an V is reluctant to ask them. Thank you!