THE QARANC ASSOCIATION BENEVOLENT FUND

Benevolence is an important function of the QARANC Association providing financial assistance to purchase specific goods, services, or facilities for serving and retired members of the Corps, or their dependents, who are in need. The following guide is to assist those who wish to apply for benevolence or want to advise those who are in need of benevolence. Please note that cases cannot be handled directly and, in all instances, must first go through a SSAFA Caseworker or the TRBL Caseworker.

On receipt of your case, it is then considered by the Association Board of Trustees. If approved, the funds will be transferred to the organisation representing you and will be administered by them. The funding can only be used for the specific purpose of the request and will not be made payable to the individual.
 

ELIGIBILITY

• Anyone who has served as a Regular or Reserve member of the QARANC, or its predecessor organisations, with one day’s paid service or more.
• You are in need or distress
• You need financial assistance to help you achieve a reasonable quality of life
• You do not need to have been a member of the Association to apply.

HOW TO APPLY

All cases for benevolence, both serving and retired must come through:

• The Royal British Legion (TRBL),
• Poppy Scotland,
• Soldiers, Sailors Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) 

All cases must come to QARANC Association Benevolence via the local SSAFA Caseworker, this applies to serving and retired personnel.  Benevolence committees are unable to consider any direct requests from individuals, in extraordinary situations they will consider direct from Unit Welfare Officers of serving personnel. If a serving individual has a temporary cash flow problem or encounters a difficulty their Unit Chain of Command should assist as this is not a benevolence matter. Long term cases in need are more complex and may require intervention and referral to other organisations.

A SSAFA Caseworker will be allocated and will visit you at your convenience to discuss your case. They will need to take some detailed information from you in order to assess how you can best be helped. This will include financial information, housing and family circumstances which they will enter onto a Form A (this document is key and without it we are unable to proceed). It is most important that you provide as much detail as possible however difficult, as the end result is to provide you with as much assistance as possible in order for you to continue looking after yourself and your family independently. This information is confidential (only shared with those dealing with your case) and once completed it is passed to the organisation that will deal with it, this could be the Royal British Legion (TRBL) the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) or the in this situation the QARANC Association. Of note assistance may also be requested from other Corps or Service Charities for those who were also members of another Corps or Service.