We recognise the need for clergy and their families to spend quality time outside of the parish. We can often help with the cost of an annual family holiday.

Retirees, separated spouses/civil partners and widow(er)s are also very welcome to apply towards the cost of a holiday.
When making an application we would be grateful if you could provide the details of the holiday you wish to take in the form of at least two quotes.

We are normally able to consider funding up to £500 for an adult and £300 for a child up to the age of 18, up to a maximum cost of £2,000.  If your quotes are over and above the maximum grant level, we will ensure that you are able to fund the difference (eg we are unable to fund holidays over our maximum limits that may incur debts to clergy families).

For single people, we will consider a holiday grant of £750 due to the additional cost of single supplements. This also applies to a single parent going away with their children for a holiday.

If you are a permanent wheelchair user, and/or require a carer to accompany a family member on holiday, please consider applying under ‘respite breaks’.  We appreciate that such breaks can result in additional costs in finding suitable disabled facilities. If you are eligible to apply under ‘respite breaks’, we can consider funding up to £3,000.

We ask please that you make your own arrangements for travel insurance.

We are also unable to provide funding for holidays which you have already taken.

Grants are available towards the cost of a wellbeing or spiritual retreat for clergy (stipendiary or self-supporting) and retired clergy. We can also help couples and families to take a retreat together.

We are normally able to consider funding up to £500 for an adult and £300 for a child up to the age of 18, up to a maximum cost of £2,000.

We appreciate that sometimes booking a retreat as a single person can be more expensive, if this happens then we can provide funding up to £750.

If you are a permanent wheelchair user, and/or require a carer to accompany a family member on holiday, please consider applying under ‘respite breaks’.  We appreciate that such breaks can result in additional costs in finding suitable disabled facilities. If you are eligible to apply under ‘respite breaks’, we can consider funding up to £3,000.

We are unable to consider funding a retreat which you have already taken.

Specifically for carers and their families where there are high level care needs in the household (eg, in receipt of carers allowance, or in receipt of higher level DLA/PIP).  These grants are available for single households, couples or larger families.  We will consider associated costs of a break away, depending on your needs, with maximum grants available up to £3,000.

Respite breaks can be any of the following:

• A break away which may require care support while away (friend or family member, qualified social care professional).  Alternatively, applicants may consider an all-inclusive break away with care provides such as https://revitalise.org.uk/
• A break away for the carer, while ensuring the cared-for is looked after either via social care professionals, or qualified providers such as help at home, hospice respite care etc.
  • Care UK respite and day care
  • Helping Hands home care
  • Home Instead respite care

When making an application we would be grateful if you could provide the details of the break you wish to take in the form of at least one quote.

Consider contacting your local authority to enquire about funding for respite care for either the carer or the person being cared for. Carer’s should have an NHS carer’s assessment and the cared for should have an NHS needs assessment.

Consider looking at our support for carer’s and young carer’s under our Wellbeing Support below.

We welcome applications for funding to support a sabbatical, up to £1,000. Do please include details of how you wish to spend your sabbatical in your application. To discuss you circumstances in confidence please contact the grants team by email on grants@clergysupport.org.uk

Please apply in advance of your planned sabbatical.  We cannot consider supporting a sabbatical if you have already completed it.

Exercise and social interaction can help to promote physical health, overall mood, boost immunity, help with sleep and general wellbeing.

We can help with funding activities which promote health, increase social interaction (hobbies) and reduce isolation. This can include things like exercise classes, gym memberships (or online sessions), gym or fitness equipment, evening classes or weight-loss groups.

We are unable to consider funding if you have already committed to join a membership or purchased the equipment. Please provide a quote/estimate or booking form when submitting your application. Grants up to £1,000 are available.

If you are expecting your first child, including adoption, you are very welcome to apply for a grant of £1,000 towards the costs. We would ask you please include a copy of the child’s birth or adoption certificate, within 12 months of their birth or adoption.

Adults

For family members over the age of 18 who are living with mental, physical or learning disabilities (in receipt of ill health state benefits) who wish to either:

• Further your knowledge and skills, in order to increase employment opportunities and independence in future,
• Or, improve self-esteem, social skills, support networks and integrating into the community.

Grants are also available towards education courses for a range of situations for current or ex-spouses/civil partners or widow(er)s, or former clergy.  The aim must be to expand prospects of future employment. We may also consider funding costs towards equipment for a non-ordained spouse/partner to start a business from home.

If you are training in Anglican Ministry or have left ordained Anglican ministry

Please be advised that education grants cannot be made available for people who have left ordained Anglican ministry in order to pursue another career path. Also, we cannot normally pay for study that is part of ministerial formation, as this is the responsibility of dioceses, unless there is a clear wellbeing issue.

Children

We may be able to help with extra tuition fees for children (18 or under) who may be struggling with their education.

If you would like to attend counselling, either by yourself, or as a couple, then a referral can be made to our partner, JR Corporate Health for an initial session. If it is decided from this introductory session that counselling could be helpful, then Clergy Support Trust will fund six sessions.

If it is recommended that further sessions are needed, then an additional six sessions may be funded by the Trust.

Please note that this service is only available to those 18 and over.

If you have found a counsellor you would like to work with, (who is on an accredited register with the Professional Standards Authority), then we can fund up to a maximum of £1,000 towards counselling costs.

Where possible we prefer to pay the counsellor direct but for a smaller number of sessions, it may be that you can receive funding and pay for the sessions needed.

We also recommend Relate for wider family counselling, for example to include children, step-children. We may be able to help fund these costs.

If you receive Carer’s Allowance, or a member of your household receives the higher rate of DLA or PIP, or you are unable to physically leave your home for long periods due to caring responsibilities we are able to offer some additional support.

The aim of this support is to help full-time carers to:

• Take a break from day-to-day routines
• Maintain friendships
• Pursue personal interests, leisure activities or cultural activities
• Have greater independence and self-confidence
• Improve mental health and wellbeing

Any time away from home would require additional care to be organised, which may include a friend, a family member, or a qualified social care professional.

Consider contacting your local authority to enquire about funding for respite care for either the carer or the person being cared for. Carer’s should have a carer’s assessment and the cared for should have a needs assessment.

We can consider grants up to £750 per year, for a carer to access regular respite, which could include activities like gym membership/exercise classes, help with taxis or lunch out with friends.

Support is available for clergy children up to the age of 18, who may have a parent or a sibling with a long-term health condition, and who they help provide care for.

Grants are available up to £500 per year for an activity that may help:

• Improve self-esteem and confidence
• Connect with others/make new friends
• Improve mental and/or physical health

The online ebook library is available free to all Anglican ordinands actively studying at a recognised UK or Irish training college or on a non-residential regional course. It is also available to curates completing their training (IME2). This free online library is subsidised by Clergy Support Trust.

We are able to support ordinands who may struggle with reading online while in training, perhaps due to dyslexia or a visual impairment.

In addition to accessing the online ebook library, ordinands can apply for an additional grant of £300 per year towards books. We would need your GP or another health professional to help us understand your reason for needing physical books.

If you are ordained serving clergy and feel you may be at a crossroads in your vocation and require some mentoring or rejuvenation, we can refer you to the Clergy Transition Service. This coaching and mentoring approach can also provide support with CV preparation, interview techniques, or just some time and space to consider next steps.

The majority of serving clergy in Church of England are eligible for funding through their diocese. If you are a chaplain, have resigned from ministry or located in other UK provinces, our grant to Clergy Transition Service may help fund your place.

If you are living with mental health issues we encourage you to access counselling before being referred to the Clergy Transition Service.

Grants, up to £600, are available for mentoring support for serving clergy, current and former spouses/partners.

You need to find your own coach and we ask for coaches or mentors to be accredited by:

• International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• Association for Coaching (AC)
• European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC)

Spiritual direction can be considered if not available through your diocese.