Where can I donate my £400 government grant to help UK charities who support low income families?

There are many charities you can donate your £400 energy bill government grant to help support struggling families if you have the financial means to do so.

On Thursday, May 26, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak laid out plans for Cost of Living Support, including a £400 energy bill discount which will take effect from October 2022.

It was originally a loan of £200 and households were expected to pay it back over time, however, following concerns from Ofgem regarding the impact paying off this loan could have on families who are struggling, the amount was doubled and domestic electricity customers no longer have to pay it back.

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Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is a charity that aims to prevent and solve poverty through understanding of the causes of poverty to campaign for policies. It was founded in 1965 and provides training, advice and information to ensure families get the financial support they need.

In response to Rishi Sunak’s announcement, the CPAG said: “It’s a relief that the government is finally waking up to the fact that families need more support and [yesterday’s] announcement of interventions through the benefits system is a good start.

“But with almost four million children living in poverty, the chancellor is kidding himself if he thinks that the problem is temporary or that the package he offered today will stop people finding themselves so far back that they will never recover.

“If the chancellor is serious about supporting those who are struggling then he will need to make long-term changes to the structure of the social security system and restore the value of benefits to something that families can really live on.”

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For those households who are coping well financially and who want to give back to charities who support low income families, we have compiled a list of organisations you can donate the money to.

The flame of a gas stove. (Pic credit: Damien Meyer / AFP via Getty Images)The flame of a gas stove. (Pic credit: Damien Meyer / AFP via Getty Images)
The flame of a gas stove. (Pic credit: Damien Meyer / AFP via Getty Images)

1 - Child Poverty Action Group

With 50 years of experience and expertise in what causes poverty and campaigning to end poverty for children and young people across the country, CPAG have made a big impact already.

You can donate to the charity by visiting the CPAG website.

2 - Family Action

Family Action has been around since 1869 and has worked with more than 60,000 families every year.

The charity supports thousands of families through its national programmes and grants programmes. It aims to build skills and resilience to help strengthen families and communities.

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You can donate to this cause by visiting the Family Action website.

3 - Turn 2 Us

Turn 2 Us supports anyone who is struggling to pay bills as its core belief is that anyone can be a missed pay-cheque, illness or bereavement away from a real financial crisis.

By using the Benefits Calculator, which takes less than 10 minutes to complete, you can find out which means-tested benefits you may be eligible for, including tax credits.

To check which grants you qualify, you can use the Grants Search tool.

You can donate by visiting the Turn 2 Us website.

4 - The Trussell Trust

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Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks by providing emergency food and support to people who struggle with poverty, and its ultimate goal is to end the need for food banks in the UK.

With more than 1,200 food bank centres in this network, around two thirds of them are in the UK.

According to the charity, more than 14 million people in the UK live below the poverty line, so it’s important to the Trussell Trust that we challenge the structural issues that cause poverty by bringing together the experiences of food banks and their communities.

You can donate by visiting the Trussell Trust website.

5 - National Energy Action (NEA)

NEA is the national fuel poverty charity which works to make sure that everyone in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is warm and safe at home.

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It was founded more than 40 years ago by a group of students at Durham University who volunteered to install loft insulation in the homes of local elderly people.

The NEA vision is to end fuel poverty by:

- Providing advice and support to people struggling to heat their homes affordably, either directly or via community engagement projects and outreach.

- Campaigning and advocacy to make sure that the needs of fuel poor households are at the heart of policy decision making.

- Conducting research and sharing insights

- Developing accredited training and qualifications to improve standards of energy advice.

You can donate by visiting the NEA website.

6 - Fare Share

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This charity believes that no food should be wasted and to prevent waste, surplus food is redistributed to charities that turn it into meals for struggling families.

53,894 tonnes of food is redistributed to charities, 130 million meals’ worth of food is provided to vulnerable people, 88 per cent of redistributed food is made up of good-to-eat surplus food, almost 10,000 charities and communities are helped by Fare Share and 75,371 tonnes of CO2e emissions are prevented from waste.

You can donate by visiting the Fare Share website.

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