Manchester Relief in Need CIO

Manchester Relief in Need and Children's Relief in Need: grants for individuals and families

Grants, generally no more than £500 and typically £50 to £500, for adults, and children and young people under 25, living in the City of Manchester who are in financial need or hardship, for a specific item or help such as a household item, essential clothing or equipment, or furnishings for a tenancy. People cannot apply themselves: a health or social care worker, or a worker from a charity or voluntary organisation working directly with them, applies on their behalf. Trustees meet monthly.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £500; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Adults (Manchester Relief in Need) and children and young people under 25 (Children's Relief in Need) who live in one of the 32 wards of the City of Manchester, are in financial need and unable to provide the items themselves, have legal status to live in the UK or can show it is in process, and have not had a grant from the charity in the last 12 months
Individuals and families cannot apply themselves: the application must be made by a health or social care worker, or a worker from a registered charity or voluntary organisation (for example a social worker or health visitor), who works directly with them and is expected to have considered other sources of help, including specialist charities and statutory money

What it funds

A specific need that helps to alleviate the effects of poverty; trustees are flexible in what they award a grant for
Specific items, for example a household item, essential clothing or equipment, or help with funding towards purchasing furnishings for a new or existing tenancy

the request must help the person making the claim in an identified manner, and any award is expected to be used as part of a plan to improve the applicant's situation

What it will not fund

Residents outside the City of Manchester
Rates, council tax, taxes, fines or other public costs
Utility bills, for example electricity and gas
Mortgage costs
Cash
Funeral costs or memorials
Items for residences other than where the claimant lives
General everyday costs such as heating, lighting or rates
Flooring (currently paused; applications for flooring will be rejected)
The same item to an applicant more than once (not generally)
People who have received a grant from the charity in the last 12 months
Retrospective payments

How to apply

The referring professional reads the Individual Applicant Guidelines (updated June 2026) and checks the person lives in the City of Manchester
Complete every section of the online grant application form, including the names and dates of birth of all household members, accurate household income and expenditure, debts, and the report section (background, current circumstances, help requested, its impact, wider support, and your organisation and role)
Attach any supplementary report sheets and written quotes for unusual or specific items, then sign and date the form
Submit by the 15th of the month (11th in December) for the trustees' meeting on the last Friday of the month (no meeting in December)
If successful, a cheque is made payable to the provider of the goods, never to the person or the referring organisation; the referrer must ensure the grant is used as agreed and provide receipts if asked

an application to any of the charity's three funds is an application to them all. Medical needs in Manchester, Salford or Trafford are covered by the District Nursing Fund, which uses the same form

incomplete forms are returned to the sponsor; the trusts cannot chase missing information

Have ready

Completed, signed and dated online grant application form, including the household finance section and report
Written quotes for any unusual or specific requests (trustees have preferred suppliers for many general items)
Supplementary report sheets (optional)

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