CILEx Benevolent Fund looks to support even more dependent family members

21 June 2018

CILEx Benevolent Fund is today launching an awareness campaign to ensure that members’ families understand that they can also rely on its assistance in their hour of need.

In recent months, the fund’s trustees have become aware that the immediate family of many members are unaware that its support is also available to them. 

The fund’s vision is to provide access to ‘relevant guidance, information and support’ to current and past CILEx members, who find themselves ‘in unavoidable financial hardship’. In addition to providing access to tailored money management advice, the fund can also provide grants to those experiencing one-off instances of extreme financial hardship, which are assessed on an individual basis. But it also provides the same levels of assistance to members’ dependent family members. 

Members must belong to CILEx for at least one year before they become eligible for the fund’s services and support. It is also at this point that a member’s dependants can receive the fund’s assistance, should they need it.

Simon Wells, chair of CILEx Benevolent Fund’s board of trustees, said: “It’s a little-known fact that the family of CILEx members can also access our services when they need them most.

“Historically, the vast majority of the applications we receive have been from past and current CILEx members. But the spouses and children of members can also access this support – and we’re now looking to support them more actively.”

Simon added: “In the past, we’ve received the occasional application from the husband or wife of deceased members of CILEx. But we suspect that there are many more, who fall into the category of a dependent family member and would benefit from our bespoke support.

“Trained advisers are available to provide tailored financial guidance after looking at each person’s individual circumstances holistically. On some occasions, we’re also able to provide a one-off grant, with each application being reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

“Family members should get in touch, at the earliest opportunity, with full details of their relative who belonged to CILEx, and we’ll see what we can do to support them.”

For more information about the ways CILEx Benevolent Fund could assist you, visit: www.cilex.org.uk/membership/benevolent_fund