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Turn2Us is giving £500 grants to people who’ve been financially hit by the coronavirus crisis

PEOPLE in hardship because of the coronavirus can apply for a £500 grant from a poverty charity Turn2Us.

The one-off payment will be given to ease the financial burden caused by the impact of COVID-19.

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 Turn2Us is giving hard-up Brits £500 grants to help them if they've been financially hit by the coronavirus crisis
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Turn2Us is giving hard-up Brits £500 grants to help them if they've been financially hit by the coronavirus crisis

Unlike an emergency loan, the crisis grant doesn't need to be paid back.

Over a million people have sought out the charity's help in the past three weeks - a 520 per cent increase compared to normal.

Despite the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, millions of workers have fallen through the cracks and been left without an income.

These include employees who don't qualify for furlough - which sees the government pay for 80 per cent of their wages - because they weren't on the payroll on February 28 and their former employers won't re-hire them.

Who is eligible for the grant? 

STRUGGLING households will be eligible for the Turn2Us grant if they meet the following criteria: 

  • They can demonstrate a loss of income due to Covid-19,
  • They are a resident of the UK / Republic of Ireland,
  • They are not currently in Further or Higher Education,
  • They are over 18,
  • They have less than £1,000 savings if they're a single person or less than £2,000 savings if they're in a couple or family.

Self-employed workers who recently started their own businesses also don't qualify for government help.

These people are advised to apply to Universal Credit but the application process is being significantly slowed down by the sudden increase in demand.

Nearly a million Brits applied to the welfare system in a fortnight up from around 100,000 in a normal two-week period.

Once they've had their over the phone Jobcentre interview, new applicants are then forced to wait up to five-weeks for their first payment, pushing them even further into financial hardship.

Applicants for the Turn2Us Coronavirus Grant Fund will have to meet an eligibility criteria though to make sure that the money is going to those that need it the most.

The money will be transferred into people's bank accounts as soon as possible if they're successful.

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There is currently £1million of fundraising money ring-fenced for the fund, and the charity plans to add another £250,000 from its own reserves.

The is planning to continue fundraising for the scheme as well so that it can help as many people as possible.

Thomas Lawson, chief executive of Turn2us, said: "The Turn2us Coronavirus Grant Fund is designed to get help to people when they need it – now.

"We want to stop people from maxing out credit cards, getting into debt with banks and using high street lenders.

"We urge anyone who fits the criteria to apply for the £500 grant as soon as possible.

"Based on our own data and insight, we’re expecting the need for this support to grow and grow throughout the course of the lockdown and beyond."

You can find details of how to donate to the fund

If you're struggling to make ends meet because of the impact of coronavirus then you maybe able to get help with your bills from your provider.

You can also ask your bank for a three month mortgage holiday, or breathing space from your credit card or loan provider if you can't make the repayments due to the pandemic.

Another alternative to consider is applying for one of the 70,000 new jobs that have been created because of the impact of COVID-19.

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