There for you - UNISON Welfare: Support, Assistance, and Financial Aid for Members and Their Families

2. There for you A unique and confidential service exclusively for UNISON members and their families Their mission is to: Be an invaluable resource for UNISON’s membership. To provide quality advice, information and assistance. Offer financial support to members who are experiencing unexpected hardship and personal difficulties. To deliver services which are flexible, relevant and responsive.

3. The Charity and Volunteers There for you is the working name of UNISON Welfare, a charity that is accountable in law to the Charity Commission. The Charity is a separate body although affiliated to UNISON, which provides welfare services to UNISON’s membership. BWO are supported by their local Regional Welfare Committee. The role of the Branch Welfare Officers (BWOs) is vital to the charity. BWOs provide local face to face support to members who are in difficulty and assist members in accessing the services and benefits provided by the charity .

4. When and why do UNISON members seek help? Whereas the union will be addressing employment matters, the charity provides support to members with a range of additional problems that may be affecting them including: A sudden loss of income An increase in expenditure due to illness. Relationship breakdown. The death of a relative or partner. Circumstances that have placed an unreasonable strain on household finances.

5. The services provided by Thereforyou Financial assistance Emergency Assistance Winter Fuel Grant and School Uniform Grant Programmes Wellbeing Breaks Debt advice – provided in partnership with Payplan Benefit advice, referrals and signposting to other organisations that can also offer practical and financial help Access to a network of credit unions

6. Wellbeing breaks Help with transition back to work following an illness (including stress), accident or an operation. (Illness that has prevented member being at work for at least three months or diagnosed with a serious illness in the last 12 months) Respite breaks for carers

7. How the charity can assist in the workplace The combination of advice, support and financial assistance that can be offered to members by the charity helps provide the following: • Reduction in financial pressures that may be affecting day to day work performance. • Reducing the risk of stress related absence that can result from financial and other worries. • Support for members on sick leave with recuperative breaks to assist them to return to the workplace or with a phased return. • Provide emergency grants to assist with workplace travel costs where necessary. • In addition, the charity offers assistance with its small grants scheme to all low paid members with both winter fuel bills and school uniform costs on an annual basis.

8. There for you – Facts and Figures Every Year £1/2 million in financial assistance. More than 3,000 members and their families helped with a grant. Emergency grants considered within 24 hours. Thousands helped just by having someone to talk to. Hundreds supported with managing their debts

9. What members say I was sleeping in my car and using horrible hostels and the grant towards household items will go a long way to getting essentials for my new flat” While I was off work receiving treatment for breast cancer I was facing financial ruin and would like to say a huge thank you for your financial assistance and advice” The wellbeing break that you provided after a relapse in my mental health enabled me to return to work feeling refreshed and ready to return to my profession. I am so grateful UNISON has its own charity. You treated me and my family with such kindness and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

10. Our commitment Branch Welfare Officers support all members when times are tough and with the problems they may have in and out of the workplace. If we can’t help, then we’ll always try and find someone who can.