I heard that Crusaid's Hardship Fund was closed to applications, from one of our users. I called them today and Ian at Crusaid confirmed that the Hardship fund was closed to new applications "indefinitely". That as the fund grant criteria hadn't been reviewed in 10 years, they had undergone a consultation with clients, NAT, THT and stakeholders (MAC, Elton John AIDS Foundation) into how the Hardship Fund should change to meet current circumstances. I asked when decisions were likely to be made and the fund restarted. I was told "sometime in the summer".
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Today Crusaid announced it was "merging" into the Terrence Higgins Trust. Reported on the Crusiad website and pinknews.co.uk today 14th June. It seems as if many if not all of those employed by Crusaid will be made redundant as a result.
The "Hardship Fund" is a life line for many in poverty living with HIV/AID's. We have been concerned at the lack of grant giving recently. It is reported that around £250,000.00 was raised by the recent "Walk for Life". Our interest is in how much of the money raised by those who gave of their time and effort to help those in hardship will end up being spent in grants and how much will be deducted as a result of operational costs not least the cost of merging and any redundancies made.
Our concern is that Hardship Grants need to be reintroduced as a matter of urgency given the current economic climate. That the fund will also continue for years to come.
I have emailed THT for some answers and will post if/when I get a response.
Awaiting a more formal response from my email I did have a telephone conversation with THT covering several issues including the recent merger.
Clearly as this has just been announced there are many issues that will need to be resolved. These the financial and legal issues that arise from merging any organisation or charitable.
However I am told that THT are committed to the work Crusaid were doing and want to get the "Hardship Fund" up and running as soon as possible once the aforementioned processes are completed. There are some benefits to this merger. These relate to "over heads" or operational costs. Crusaid as an independent organisation did have extremely high 'over heads' when you look at how much in every £1 was going to operational cost versus end users.
THT is a much larger organisation with an administrative function that will reduce this burden and hopefully translate into more of £1 going to those who actually need it.
Like many I am aware of THT's history and am critical. However this merger makes sense when you take an objective look (of course this my opinion).
There has already been some concerns aired about this merger. I make two points. Firstly THT isn't the only HIV charity that could have "stood up to the plate" and merged with Crusaid, they were however the only one to do so. Secondly and most importantly, I believe without THT (and is financial foundation) Crusaid would have folded and we as a community would have lost entirely the "hardship fund".
Yes we will be watching but I remain positive about this. By all means let me know what you think john@tcell.org.uk
..... As you would expect, we are aiming to keep the costs of the merger to an absolute minimum. We agreed to the merger for three key reasons:
· Maintenance of the Hardship Fund - the merger of Crusaid & THT will enable the Hardship Fund to continue to operate as a viable service, providing support to people with HIV.
· Maintenance of fundraising income for HIV - the merger of Crusaid & THT will maximise the likelihood of current Crusaid income streams being able to be sustained, and therefore being used for the benefit of people with HIV.
· Achievement of economies of scale to increase value for money and return on investment - the integration of Crusaid and THT activities will enable a significant reduction in organisational running costs and in fundraising costs. This will not only increase the proportion of income which is available to be used for people with HIV, but will also strengthen the return on investment. This will, in turn, increase the attractiveness of the merged organisation as one to donate/support.
The final point is crucial. While there are short term costs (which THT will bear) there will be far greater medium to long term savings and better voluntary income growth which will support the Hardship Fund. Also, all the money raised for Crusaid at this year's Walk for Life will go to support the Hardship Fund. As in previous years, some walkers formed teams to support other HIV charities and they will receive 75% of the money that team raised in sponsorship.
As you know, the Hardship Fund has been supported for many years by the Monument Trust, EJAF and MAC. We have met with each of them and they have all confirmed their renewed commitment to the Fund. We are now working on re-opening the Fund as soon as possible, hopefully by the end of July."
The hardship fund is only operating on an interim basis across select areas, I know because I have aids and am dirt poor and today spoke to THT who couldn't give me an answer on what had happened to the 250k raised on the walk for life,where did that go ? Meanwhile at THT they have not long appointed a condom distribution officer earning 25k pa while I can't feed or heat myself.all hiv charities in this country are a joke.
In response to your question, can I suggest accessing your local authority to carry out a community care assessment and seek support to meet the needs that have arisen, alternatively http://www.turn2us.org.uk/ .
As the question is unclear to the level of benefit, DLA and other support which maybe received currently, or in work, I am unable to offer additonal links that maybe of use.
Kevin
I have contacted THT to get more detail on how the fund now operates i.e. what is meant by "Interim basis" and the scope of the fund, what it covers etc..
I was told that the fund is available through 12 centres around the UK including THT.
As we all know. THT works in the area of HIV/AIDS but also Sexual Health more generally. They are funded for various projects depending on delieverables. A Condom Distribution Officer may be, and I speculate, funded out of the sexual health budget rather than the HIV/AIDS budget. However I await clarification.
There are many charities in the UK that deal with HIV/AIDS. As is the nature of life some people have a good experience, and some poor. I don't think it is therefore fair to label all HIV Charities as a "joke".
May I suggest that if you experience a problem with any charity that you complain to them as you then give them an oppourtunity to address any issues you have raised. This helps all of us who may rely on such charities. If you get no satisfaction you can always, if your complaint is within the scope, complain to the Charities Commission.
All registered charities will typically produce a set of yearly accounts, again viewable via the Charities Commission and when this year acounts are published in 2011. The detail of the £250k may be contained in THT's Annual report.
You raise an important point about clarifying the operational nature of the Hardship fund and when I get a response I will post it online.
I think it's perfectly fair to label all hiv charities a joke as 9 months ago after a period of homelessness I was housed in an unfurnished 1 bed flat and slept on the floor for 3 months,had no cooker ,fridge or washing machine for the same period all at the same time trying to get help from ALL the Hiv charities in this country and they just kept refering me to each other,so in my experience they are a joke.
I have complained to the CC about THT and they done nothing,I complained to my MP he done nothing, if you are poor and have aids in this country life is very,very hard,don't tell me different. THT have a budget of 18 million a year and they are the worst of the lot, I got told by an office manager on £35k pa to go to the salvation army when I was having trouble putting food on the table, that is not a good use of resources.
I am sure many including myself will be upset by your situation, Of course and I don't wish you to go into personal detail, it is difficult to understand why you seem to have endured such hardship, without understanding the background detail. I will try to give an overview below.
I hope you are on therapy now and that any threat of AIDS has passed and your HIV is now being managed.
I am also surprised, on what you say that you were not referred to the Food Chain for support with food. You can be refered by your HIV doctor or a social worker.
I am not telling you that living with HIV/AIDS is easy in this country. Its why we do what we do, unfunded except for the kindness of others in the same situation giving occasional donations. It is difficult for those with poor health, legacy health issues & the fear generated by Sitgma.
Its great you have done so much to address your issues. More need to challenge.
Unfortunately, today, having HIV isn't a passport to assistance and help. Many recently and diagnosed earlier do very well on the newer therapies. Its about the degree to which your health and/or HIV effects you on a day to day basis. So everything is "means tested". This does raise many issues for which we and many others are always campaigning on. As the criteria can be based on a lack of proper training and understanding.
I am really surprised that if your medical situation was such that you had progressed from HIV to AIDS more help wasn't forthcomming.
Local councils, some benefit applications and access to certain charities and support does depend on the severity of your illness. That means that many with HIV are deemed "well enough" and excluded from accessing certain services. Mainly because the service providers have limited funds and therefore need to target there resources to the "worst" cases.
This may not be an ideal situation but it is the truth of the matter.
I have already mentioned the Food Chain.
In terms of benefits you can make an application for Disability Living Allowance. If your prognosis is that you have AIDS and are not expected to live for more than 6 months you can use form DS1500 to speed up the process. This will require supporting medical evidence in any case. The form will ask about your care and mobility needs during the day/night and you would also detail any illnesses you may also suffer from.
You maybe entitled to the support component of Employment and Support Allowance if you are not already getting Jobseekers Allowance or you already get Income Support/Incapacity Benefit. The latter depends on if you have ever worked and paid tax as it is a contributory benefit.
Of course you may also be entitled to Housing and Council Tax Benefit.
As has already been mentioned if you are sufficently disabled your local council can do a care assessment with a view to providing additional support.
You will find more about benefits at direct.gov.uk
You may find additional help from Turn2us
Unfortunately if your medical situation is such that on paper your HIV is under control, managed and there is little else impacting your health, in other words your otherwise "HIV Healthy". You are less likely to meet the criteria for many support services and benefits.
I am not saying that this is a fair situation, it is merely as it stands at the moment and is likely to worsen given the austerity drive the current government is pursuing.
Discrimination and stigma run through every "vein" of society from housing through to seeking emloyment and accessing support in between. This remains the biggest challenge still for the HIV community.
The Head of the Hardship Fund at Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has provided the following response -
"When Crusaid closed the Hardship Fund in March, there was a lot of uncertainty as to whether or not this important resource would be able to continue. I am very pleased that now, following Crusaid's merger with THT, we have been able to re-open the fund and THT is fully committed to developing an accessible national Hardship Fund to cover the whole UK. The full national fund is planned to open in Spring 2011 but, in the meantime, the Hardship Fund has been re-opened on an interim basis, to offer support to those in severe financial need. The interim Hardship Fund went live on 9th August and is designed to run until the new national fund opens in the spring.
The Interim Hardship Fund is being supported by the Monument Trust, which is committing £10,000 a month until April 2011, to support those in greatest need. Money raised for Crusaid’s 2010 Walk for Life is also ringfenced to support the fund and this funding is being finalised this autumn, when we have final figures in.
The interim fund is currently operated through twelve professional referral agencies, who were identified through careful analysis of the Crusaid Hardship Fund over the past 18 months. These referral gateways are a mix of THT and external agencies across the UK, with both statutory and voluntary agencies represented. The fund will support clients who are living below the basic income support level, who can demonstrate that their financial need is having a negative impact on their HIV. The maximum grant is £100.
Clients who are in really desperate situations can contact THT Direct on 0845 12 21 200, and they will be given advice and signposted for assistance dependent on their individual circumstances."
The email repsonse invites any aspects of the fund to be further discussed and they are happy to release further information where necessary.
I contacted THT on that number and got a call back telling me that the hardship fund is not available in my area, these people make me sick pulling down big salaries while the people they are meant to help go short,as far as I'm concerned they are parasitic scum living off the bak of my misery.
Dear Anonymous,
With regards to comment #12 can I refer you to comment #7 which provides an additional resource of grant making organistions. As you advise that THT doesn't cover your area, if you could advise your location, we might be able to tailour another HIV support organistion that could help address the need in which you seek funding for.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Hl1/Help/YourQuestions/DG_10027120 , if your receive Income Support either a budgeting loan or community care grant can be obtained.
Accessing a community care assesment will also help with home adaptions, OT and support with housing and other issues that might be relevant.
As raised the Monument Trust is providing additonal support at the moment to help address the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Some 100,000 people are recorded as living with HIV within the United Kingdom http://www.tht.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/2010/september/september16b.htm
Kevin
I have also contacted the monument trust,they do not give help to individuals, I have exhausted all the possibilities available to me and my circumstances and the bottom line is that no one really cares, I struggle they pick up the wages. THT , all they do is refer , I can do what they do in the library, search on google and pass the buck(but not the pounds) useless, every single last one of them , a waste of donations and public funding.
With the dispair that I read within your last comment, could I again suggest you contact your local authority for support, if you live within London a referal to the Food Chain maybe possible. Again you may be successful in using the database on http://www.turn2us.org. Just because you see avenues within the HIV sector closed this doesn't mean that others outside will not help.
Of course THT and other companies receives funding to employ and provides services and does raises into question the social return upon investment, your needs must come first in being supported as independanly as possible. As you have access to the libary look out for any additional information or resources that maybe available to help support you.
The Monument Trust do not deal with individuals. They are a grant giving body to the HIV charitable sector providing grants for activities that otherwise would go unfunded. They are part of the Sainsbury's family trusts.
With any merger there will always be a period of activity that follows to complete one organisation taking over.
In this case I think, personally, that its a good thing Monument Trust is helping during this period.
What good is the monument trust to me ? What good are any of the charities to me ? I can receive no further help than that i have been given(trust me I have checked) but these charities continue to pay out large salaries for what seems to be non-jobs, condom distribution officer, diversity officer etc.etc. None of them really care, they only pretend to.
You seem to have had poor experience getting the support you believe you need. I am sure many will share the view you express concerning the jobs undertaken by certain charities.
The provision of care, whether if be from charity, council or government depends on the individual meeting a set of criteria to determine the level of support required.
So someone with HIV, working and with stable health will, in all likelyhood. Be less able to access support than someone with HIV, suffering an AIDS related illness (as defined by the Centre for Disease Control) who has bad health prognosis.
Living with HIV or being HIV+ is not of itself, sufficent to make a determination with regard to support. It is the degree and severity of the illness and cumulative effect of health issues that make the difference.
I am not putting this forward to engage in a debate on the "rights or wrongs" here, merely to give some detail as to the reality of the situation.
You may well feel that you deserve more support than the existing criteria indicates. I am not arguing the "rights or wrongs" again merely that this is what the situation is.
Providing services for HIV is funded via different means. Money for the provision of services comes from central government through i.e. department of Health, from PCT's and local councils as well as from charitable grant giving trusts such as the Monument Trust, Elton John Aids Foundation etc. .
When it comes to welfare advice for example. In some areas of the country THT will have won the tender to provide this service but in others it may be the Citizens Advice Bureau.
THT is a Sexual Health & HIV charity. So some of the activies it engages in will be based on wining a tender to provide that service in a partiular area. As it also encompasses the broader field of Sexual Health this may mean certain jobs are undertaken that don't directly relate to HIV+ people.
Independent Trusts, provide financing for projects and support that otherwise would not be funded by other means.
All charities and trusts will have some funds which are called "restricted". This means that the money in a restricted fund has to be used in a particular way. This needs to be considered when looking at all the money these organisations have to use more generally.
Personally I believe that if Trusts giving money to projects ceased, the HIV+ community would suffer adversely. It is also unfair to compare the work of a grant giving Trust with the work of a charity that is set up to deliever services.
I accept that for many the construct of financing is a contentous issue. Again I am not suggesting it is right nor wrong merely attempting to bring some clarity to the situation.
In every process, unfortunately there is too often people that fall through the cracks and we as a community need to ensure we hold to account those organsiations that claim to support us.
With funding becomes more difficult to attract, grant giving trusts will become an important source of income for the charitable sector.
As funding generally becomes more difficult and is likely to fall given the "austerity" process the country is facing. The criteria for qualifying for assistance may well also become more stringent and difficult.
You relate a broadly poor experience of trying to garner support. However many will be recieving support and thus may have a more positive experience to relate.
The points you have made have facilitated us being able to research and find avenues of assistance to people, again success in these avenues will depending on meeting criteria.
We cannot suggest any further avenues for you to attempt and welcome the input from anyone else that is able to contribute here.
Some of the issues you raise are not uncommon within the debates that happen within our community and often raised with the charities involved. I know this from my own personal involvement in broader community activities.
ThCell itself finds it difficult to get funding for the improvements we would like to make. We are in the same situation as everyone else. It costs us to run this site and we are greatful to those that contribute to us to ease this financial burden. So we are well aware of the extended difficulties of getting financial support to provide support.
We will continue to campaign for a more equitable "deal" for people living with HIV and we are grateful you have shared your views as it helps us in this goal.
I'm not arguing the rights and wrongs either, in my eyes there are no rights,only wrongs. Hiv charities in my experience are job creation schemes for ****** ****** ******* never had a hard day in their lives.
If you can run this site for no wages then all the money going on salaries at THT is a complete waste, pockets are being filled while fridges are going empty. I live in an enviroment where crime is seen as career choice, going to jail would be preferable to the existence I have now.
We have moderated this entry to remove what could be considered "abusive language". We would encourage those that post comments to do so in a constructive manner. This best helps us understand the fundamental arguements and issues we would want to use when applicable as supporting anecdotal evidence.
still poor,still struggling to feed myself,no change while the fat cats at THT are licking all the cream.
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is reopening a national Hardship Fund for people living with HIV in severe financial need. The previous fund, operated by HIV charity Crusaid, was closed in March 2010. Following THT and Crusaid’s recent merger, the Hardship Fund is due to be relaunched in spring 2011, with an interim fund available now.
A full strategic review is currently being undertaken and during this period THT will be consulting with key stakeholders to ensure the new fund works as efficiently as possible for its beneficiaries. While the review is under way, an interim Hardship Fund will offer grants of up to £100 to those living below the Income Support threshold. Supported by The Monument Trust, the interim fund is designed to run until the new national Hardship Fund opens in the spring.
People can apply to the interim Hardship Fund through one of thirteen referrer gateways, chosen to represent a wide geographical spread and cover areas which have, historically, shown the greatest need. The referrer gateways are:
- THT Scotland
- Belfast Social Services
- THT Cymru
- Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle
- George House Trust, Manchester
- Leicestershire AIDS Support Services
- Sheffield Social Services
- Yorkshire MESMAC
- THT Coventry
- Positive East
- Lighthouse South, London
- THT South
- THT Direct
Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of THT, said: “In the current economic climate, it is vital that people living with HIV receive the support that they need. Research tells us nearly one in three people with HIV have ongoing problems getting enough money to live on, which has clear implications for how they manage their condition.
“For years the Hardship Fund has been an important resource, making a real difference to the lives of people with HIV, and THT is fully committed to preserving its legacy. We are working hard to get the national fund fully operational by next spring, and in the meantime we hope our interim fund will continue to help those who need it most.”
People living with HIV who are in financial difficulty can contact THT Direct on 0845 12 21 200, to receive advice on what assistance may be available in their area.
For enquiries about the Hardship Fund and interim fund, please contact Steven Inman on (020) 7812 1886, or email hardship.crusaid@tht.org.uk.
Ends
Notes to Editor
- Research quoted from Weatherburn P (2007-2008) What do you need? Findings from a national survey of people with diagnosed HIV. London, Sigma Research.
- Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s largest HIV and sexual health charity with centres across England, Scotland and Wales. We're here to provide information and advice about HIV and sexual health and offer a range of services including sexual health checks, counselling and support groups. We campaign for a world where people with HIV live healthy lives, free from prejudice and discrimination and we promote good sexual health as a right and reality for all. Terrence Higgins Trust relies on donations to deliver a wide range of services. To make a donation, visit www.tht.org.uk
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Referrer Gateways:
THT Scotland (0141 332 3838)
Belfast Social Services (02890 632 450)
THT Cymru (02920 666 465)
Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle (0191 233 6161)
George House Trust, Manchester (0161 274 4499)
Leicestershire AIDS Support Services (0116 255 9995)
Sheffield Social Services (0114 226 1142)
Yorkshire MESMAC (0113 244 4209)
THT Coventry (02476 229 292)
Positive East (020 7791 2855)
Lighthouse South, London (020 7803 1660)
THT South (01273 764 200)
THT Direct (0845 12 21 200)
http://www.tht.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/2010/october/october21.htm
why haven't you posted my comments,are my views not valid in your world ?
I would draw your attention to http://tcell.org.uk/forums/posting-guidance-and-instructions
With 'anonymous' posts it is difficult to identify 'what?" posts you refer to.
As always I can be emailed at john@tcell.org.uk should anyone have an issue with the site they wish to raise.
I still live in poverty despite numerous complaints to Hiv charities,my MP, local council , County council, social work department and various media outlets.
As i continue to live poorly my health declines but the pockets of those assigned to help continue to bulge. It seems that no-one really cares, i have been trying for 18 months to get answers (comment edited)
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/SIR/ENDS18%5C00...
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/SIR/ENDS18%5C00...
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/SIR/ENDS18%5C00...