Financial support
Our friendly and experienced team is here to help you manage short-term money worries.

We know the cost of living crisis is having a big impact on many people working in education.
Our financial grants service is here to support you with essential living costs.
Staff who are currently working in education for two continuous years or more (in a primary or secondary school/college/university or a training provider offering courses to students who are 16+) can apply for ONE of the following grants.
Please read our FAQs to find out which grant is the most appropriate for you. We can only consider one grant application at a time. You can only apply for one grant within a two year period.
Food and travel to work grant
- For food and travel to work costs
- Up to £250
General living cost grant
- For household items (fridge freezers, cookers, washing machines, beds only)
- For utility costs (gas electric, water phone and internet costs only)
- For utility arrears (gas, electricity and water rates only), we can only consider an application if the arrears are up to £1,500 and no more.
Our team is processing an unprecedented number of applications from staff who need financial support.
To speed up your application please remember to:
- First read our FAQs - it will help you complete the eligibility checker
- Find out if you are eligible using our eligibility checker. You won’t be able to submit an application without checking your eligibility
- Please get your supporting documents ready before you apply. They are listed in our our FAQs. Please note: you won’t be able to submit an application form without these documents
- Once you have started your application, you can create a login. You will be emailed a link to login to finish or check an existing application
You do not have to pay back any money we give you.
Due to the high level of applications being received, we are having to close our programmes at short notice. If you have commenced your application, you are still able to submit your draft application during this period - from date of commencing an application form, you have up to 14 days to submit it.
If you would like to discuss your circumstances and get some advice, get in touch with our Grants Team: Grants.Caseworker@edsupport.org.uk.

Everyone needs help occasionally. Our friendly, experienced team is here to support you.
During 2022-23
1058
people given financial help from Education Support
267%
increase in grants given to help pay for food and utility bills
Teaching assistant Julie, a single parent, couldn't cover household bills and support her daughter. We were able to give Julie a grant to replace her broken washing machine, pay for food and other essentials.
“I would have been lost without finding Education Support, especially now. I don’t know how I would have managed. I couldn’t have afforded to go to the launderette so it’s made a huge difference.”JULIE, TEACHING ASSISTANT
Grants FAQs
Who is eligible to apply?
You must currently working in education for two continuous years or more (in a primary or secondary school/college/university or a training provider offering courses to students who are 16+) in one of the following roles:
- Teacher
- Teaching Assistant
- Headteachers
- Deputy Head
- SEND staff
- Lecturers
- Supply Teachers (please see below)
- Supply Teaching Assistants (please see below)
- Learning Support
- Professors
- Academic Administrators
- Researchers
We will need confirmation of your employment; a P60 for 2024 (issued in April 2024) and the latest payslip/s. See Point 3 regarding essential documents.
Supply Teachers/Supply Teaching Assistants; we understand at times you will be in between contracts at time of applying, if this is the case, please forward confirmation that you are actively registered with at least one agency.
We cannot consider your application without this information.
You cannot apply if:
- If you have access to funds/savings of more than £2,500, we are not able to consider an application.
- You have applied for a grant from us in the past two years.
What types of grants do we offer?
We offer two types of grants. You can only apply for one grant programme at a time, and it needs to be clear to us that you are struggling and do not have the funds to cover the costs yourself. You are unable to re-apply for another grant within two years, regardless of what grant type you receive.
Food & travel to work grant: up to £250, a one-off payment, to go towards food or travel to work costs (public transport costs or petrol).
General Living cost grant: up to £600, a one-off payment. This grant is for essential household items or towards utility costs/arrears.
Essential household items we assist with are; fridge freezers, cookers, washing machines, beds and mattresses.
Utility costs we assist with are; heating, gas, electric, water, phones/mobile phone & internet costs.
Utility arrears; gas, electricity and water rates only – we can only consider assistance where the arrears are no more than £1,500. Please see Point 12 for other organisations to approach if your arrears are above this amount.
These grants do not need to re-paid, and the amounts awarded will be decided by the grants team.
What essential documents do I have to provide?
Food & travel to work grant:
You need to supply the following as part of your application:
- P60 for 2024 (issued in April 2024)
- latest payslip/s (at least 3 payslips if paid weekly)
- your most recent bank statement on your main account (where your salary is credited, and essential household bills are paid from). Please ensure these statements are in full, with the covering page showing your name and address.
General living cost grant:
- P60 for 2024 (issued in April 2024
- latest payslip/s (at least 3 payslips if paid weekly)
- your most recent two months bank statement on your main account (where your salary is credited, and essential household bills are paid from). Please ensure these statements are in full, with the covering page showing your name and address
- Universal Credit statement, if in receipt (most recent and in full)
- latest invoice from the appropriate utility supplier or confirmation of utility arrears (as applicable)
Please see how to download my bank statement as a pdf under question 8. We prefer bank statements as pdfs however can use photos but these need to be very clear.
How do I use the application form?
First you need to complete the eligibility check. You will then need to go to the application form for either the food and travel grant or general living cost grant.
Please have your supporting documents ready to upload, as you cannot submit the application without them.
If you are unable to submit a form online, we can forward a paper version, please email Grants.Caseworker@edsupport.org.uk, providing us with your name and address details. Please note, we will take longer to process your application if done via post.
How long does it take to process of applications?
We aim to process applications as quickly as possible however we are a small team and are continuing to receive a high volume of applications so at times it may take us longer than we would like.
Please ensure you have uploaded the supporting documents we require to process your application.
How will payments be made?
Food & travel to work grant: this will be paid via a bank transfer and/or e-vouchers.
General living cost grant: this will be paid via e-vouchers for essential household items (eg Argos, Currys, Ikea, etc). Utility arrears; a bank transfer direct to the appropriate supplier. Utility costs; either a bank transfer direct to your main account or direct to the appropriate supplier.
How do I log back into my application?
When you create an application, you will be asked for your email address and a password, please use this information to log back into your application
How to download bank statements as pdfs?
There are a number of ways to do this. You can find instructions here.
You can also use Google Chrome to create PDF’s if your bank is not listed.
What is the maximum amount of grant awards?
Food and travel to work grant: up to £250
General living cost grant; up to £600
The grants team will make the final decision on the amount awarded on both programmes.
Can I apply if I have applied previously?
We cannot consider another application if you have been assisted during the past two years.
Is there any other assistance?
Funeral costs:
We can offer a maximum grant of £500 towards funeral costs. This is offered towards a funeral for the applicant’s immediate family member, spouse/partner and child.
The grant will be paid directly to the funeral directors and we require a copy of their invoice.
Bankruptcy fee of £680:
Please forward the formal recommendations from the money advice service you have been working with, confirming they have recommended this course of action. Please note we will not award the fee without this document and the fee will be paid directly to the Insolvency Services.
What other organisations might be able to help me?
A list of organisation is available here.