Holiday Grants - Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of some of the most "frequently asked questions" about the Holiday Programme. I hope these will give you some guidance and help when it comes to applying for a holiday grant.

Q: What is considered to be a "holiday"?

A: A holiday is deemed to be a proper break for relaxation and enjoyment away from home. This should be at least a weekend (2/3 nights) away and will normally involve staying in a hotel or other paid for holiday accommodation.

If appropriate, a grant may also be provided to contribute towards the cost of transport or vehicle hire for a trip, for example, the hire of a specially adapted vehicle or flights to visit relatives overseas.

Q: How often are holiday grants reviewed?

A: The Grant Review Panel meets every other month in January, March, May, July, Sept and Nov.

Applicants will normally be notified of whether or not they have been allocated a grant before the end of the month in which the panel meets.

Q: Who is on the Grant Review Panel?

A: The Grant Review Panel consists of: Bill Finch, member and Trustee, who used to run The Lantern Hotel in Worthing; Graham Ball, Chief Executive of the Fellowship; Lisa Nichols, Information and Welfare Manager; Tess Mitchell, Ron Scudamore Holiday Programme Manager.

Q: Can I use a grant for a holiday I have already taken?

A: No. Grants will not be made retrospectively. If you are applying for a holiday grant, your holiday dates should be no earlier than the month following the one in which the Grant Review Panel meets. For example, if your application is being considered by the panel that meets in July, the holiday you wish to go on should be in August or later.

Also, if you are totally reliant on receiving financial assistance to go on your holiday, you should not make a firm booking until you have received notification of whether or not your application has been successful.

Q: Can I use the holiday grant for anything else?

A: No. The Ron Scudamore Holiday Fund has been set up for the sole purpose of enabling members, branches and groups to identify and enjoy holidays and related travel activities.

If you have been allocated a grant, but you are unable to use if for a holiday, or you need to cancel your holiday plans for some reason, the grant will need to be returned.

Applications for financial assistance for other purposes can be made via the Welfare Grants programme. Telephone the Information team on 0800 010 0586 (Option 1).

Q: How long do I have before I need to confirm my holiday plans?

A: If your application is successful, you will have 3 months from the date of your notification letter before you need to confirm your holiday plans to us. At this time, you will need to provide firm holiday dates and supporting paperwork, e.g. copy of the invoice, booking confirmation, receipt, vouchers (or equivalent evidence) from the travel operator, transport company or relevant service provider.

The holiday must be taken within 12 months of the date on your notification letter.

Q: Why do I need to provide evidences?

A: It is the duty of the Fellowship to protect and use its funds in the best interests of its members. We must therefore ensure that grants are used for the designated purpose. In the case of a holiday grant, we do give some flexibility for people to change their holiday arrangements after submitting their application, but we still need to have relevant proof that the money will be used for a holiday.

Examples of the sort of evidences we need are: copy of invoice, booking confirmation, receipt, vouchers, plane tickets from the travel operator, transport company or relevant service provider.

In certain cases, if deemed appropriate by Central Office, we may require payment of the grant amount to be made directly to the travel operator. For example, this will apply if payment is required a considerable period in advance of your travel date and/or if acceptable evidences cannot be provided far enough in advance.

Q: When will the grant be paid?

A: Payment of the grant will normally be made no less than 6 weeks prior to your confirmed date of travel upon receipt of the appropriate booking confirmation, invoice or other relevant evidence.

If your travel operator or holiday accommodation requires payment further in advance than 6 weeks, you will need to supply the relevant paperwork showing the due date for payment.

Q: When can I next apply for a holiday grant?

A: If your application is successful and you receive a holiday grant, you cannot apply again for 2 years. So, if you received a grant in January this year, the next time you can apply will be in January 2009.

Unsuccessful applicants may request that their original application is reviewed again at the next meeting of the Grant Review Panel. If still unsuccessful, they can re-apply by submitting a new application form at any time.

If you have any other questions about holiday grants, please contact Tess at Central Office.

Email: tess@britishpolio.org.uk; Telephone: 020 8836 3674.

Normal working days: 3 days a week, Monday to Wednesday.