User Guide Issued June 2012

Since the 1960’s, the Police Dependants’ Trust has been providing financial support to police officers and their families in the event of that officer being killed or seriously incapacitated while on duty. The Trust relies on (amongst others) representatives of the Police Federation, retired officers’ associations and Police Welfare Officers to help identify those officers and dependants who are in need of our support. Recently some of you have told us you would appreciate having more information about our work; in particular more details about our grants and how they are allocated. With this in mind we have decided to put all of this information together in one easy reference guide, which we hope you will find helpful. To make things even easier the contents of this guide is replicated on our website www.pdtrust.org We would welcome your feedback on the User Guide and, where possible, will incorporate your suggestions when we update the Guide in the future.

YOU CAN FIND OUT:

More about the grants we provide

Why it is so important officers register as soon as possible

How grants from the PDT make a difference

The answers to frequently asked questions

CONTENTS

About Us ....................... 2

Our Grants .................... 3

Grants Guide ................ 3

Application Process ...... 6

FAQ’s ............................ 8

Inside Story ................... 4

Inside Story ................... 4

Police Dependants’ Trust

The Police Dependants’ Trust also administers the National Police Fund. The Fund shares broadly the same eligibility criteria i.e. financial support is provided to the families/dependants of police officers who have been killed or injured on duty, and this support is provided on the basis of need. Where there is a need for financial support, the National Police Fund provides grants to: Police dependants' who are in further education (university

degree or vocational qualification) Widows and orphans of police officers who were below

Inspector level at the time of their death or medical retirement.

Police Benevolent Funds or Sports/Social Clubs Other police charities and other bodies which assist the

police service

For more information on these grants, or to request an application form please contact the Police Dependants' Trust.

About the Police Dependants’ Trust

The National Police Fund

The Police Dependants’ Trust was set up in December 1966 following the murder of three police officers by armed criminals. The Trust helps police officers and their families in the case of that officer being killed or seriously incapacitated while on duty. In particular, the Trust supports: dependants* of police officers, or former police officers, who

die, or have died, as a result of an injury received in the execution of duty;

police officers, or former police officers, who are, or have been incapacitated as a result of an injury received in the execution of duty; and

dependants* of police officers, or former police officers, who are, or have been incapacitated as a result of an injury received in the execution of duty.

*Dependants can refer to spouses, partners and children, but may also include elderly parents and other relatives, and foster/adoptive/step children for example. The Trust operates across the United Kingdom and has to raise around £2.5 million each year to continue supporting officers and their dependants who are in need of financial support. Since its inception, the Trust has given more than £45 million to some seven thousand beneficiaries.

How to contact us:

If you would like to discuss a grant application or have any other queries, please get in touch. Telephone: 020 8941 6907 Email: office@pdtrust.org Of you can write to us at: Police Dependants’ Trust 3 Mount Mews High Street Hampton Middlesex TW12 2SH

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Our Grants

The main aim of the Trust is to provide financial support by way of grants and it does this on the basis of need. Our grants help to ease the additional pressures individuals and families face fol-lowing the death or serious injury of a police officer. We will consider any grant request that relates to the needs of those individuals described above. Individuals and families often apply for help with the cost of med-ical bills or to make alterations to their home to meet the needs of a disabled person. Others seek help with the cost of a child’s education. In some cases we can also help with the cost of resi-dential care and funeral costs. Due to our limited funding, we are not always able to meet the full cost of every item requested. We also take into account the income of the applicant so we can be sure we are helping those people who have the greatest need.

If in doubt: While our grants may be organised into distinct categories, we know that not every case you deal with will be that straightforward. If you are in any doubt which grant (or grants) might apply to the person you are trying to help, please get in touch

with us.

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This information is designed as a quick reference guide to the grants that are available from the Trust. If you require more detailed information, or wish to discuss a specific case, please contact us. Please note that applications for grants can be submitted at any time but all applicants must first register with the Trust.

Assistance Grants...

enable incapacitated officers and dependants to enjoy a better standard of living than might otherwise have been possible in the circumstances. The grants are awarded to those whose income falls below a defined level. Assistance Grants are fixed sums of money of money determined by the applicant’s income margin. Following an injury on duty which left him with severe back problems John, a police officer from London, underwent various operations and rehabilitation treatments before finally being medically retired from the police service. John’s injury means he cannot work and has found it increasingly difficult to support his family. The Police Dependants’ Trust has provided John and his family with an Assistance Grant to help relieve the financial burdens they are dealing with. To apply for an Assistance Grant an application form should be completed in full.

Grants Guide

support young people in further education or vocational training. These grants can be put towards the cost of essentials such as accommodation and learning materials to help young people get the best start to adult life. The grants are fixed sums of money that are determined by the main dependant’s income margin. Harry, a police officer from the Midlands, tragically died from the injuries he sustained in a car crash that happened while he was on duty. No amount of money can compensate a child for the loss of their parent but the Police Dependants’ Trust has helped Harry’s only child with Education Grants which have helped meet the costs associated with him going to University. To apply for an Education Grant an application form should be completed in full. The applicant must provide up-to-date monthly expenditure and income for the main dependant with details of any benefits received.

Special Purpose Grants...

Education Grants...

transform the lives of incapacitated officers by enabling their homes and/or cars to be adapted to suit their particular needs. These grants can pay for specialist equipment, help with the cost of bills or training, and be used for a wide variety of other purposes. Special Purpose Grants are a fixed sum of money to be used for a specific purpose as outlined during the application process. Midlands-based police officer Moira was travelling in an unmarked police car when it was struck by a car that had spun out of the control on a motorway. The injuries Moira suffered severely affected her mobility and led to her retirement from the police service. The Police Dependants’ Trust awarded a Special Purpose Grant which enabled Moira buy a car which is specially adapted to her needs. Moira says the grant will help her to “maintain independent living for a few more years.” To apply for a Special Purpose Grant an application form should be completed in full. The applicant must provide up-to-date monthly expenditure and income for the main dependant with details of any benefits received. Receipts (but preferably two different quotes) from companies the applicant intends to use must be provided.

How to contact us:

If you would like to discuss a grant application or have any other queries, please get in touch. Telephone: 020 8941 6907 Email: office@pdtrust.org Of you can write to us at: The Police Dependants’ Trust 3 Mount Mews High Street Hampton Middlesex TW12 2SH

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Grants Guide continued...

Residential Care Grants...

help towards the cost of sheltered accommodation or residential care. The Residential Care Grants are a fixed sum per year, de-pending on the main dependant’s income margin. Clive, a retired police officer from the south of England, never fully recovered from the serious injuries he sustained at the hands of the man who assaulted him while he was on duty. Amongst other injuries Clive suffered a fractured skull and loss of mobility. For many years he lived at home where he was cared for by his wife, but when she began suffering serious health problems Clive moved into a residential care home. Life for Clive and his wife has been made a little easier by grants from the Po-lice Dependants’ Trust which have assisted with the mounting costs of the specialist round-the-clock care Clive needs. To apply for a Residential Care Grant an application form should be completed in full. The applicant must provide up-to-date monthly expenditure and income for the main dependant with details of any benefits received.

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When a loved one dies, a Bereavement Grant helps to relieve the immediate financial pressures that can arise. For more information or to apply for a Bereavement Grant please contact the Police Dependants’ Trust directly on 020 8941 6907.

Bereavement Grants...

Grants make a difference Beneficiaries tell us that stories of how grants have helped officers and their families have encouraged them to come forward and seek help. So, if you have seen an example of how a PDT grant has made a real difference to an individual or a family, please encourage them to contact us. We are always looking for people who are willing case studies and have a special ‘tell us your story’ section on our website www.pdtrust.org

The Application Process

Applying for a grant from the Trust is done by way of an application form and applications can be submitted at any time.

Registering with the Police Dependants’ Trust

All applicants have to be registered with the Trust before they can apply for support. We strongly advise that any officer who suffers an injury on duty registers with the Trust immediately regardless of whether they need support at that time. The reason for this is that should an injured officer need support in the future, their prior registration will help to speed up their application for a grant. Often when an officer or their dependants need support, their need is urgent and there have been recent cases where early registration has reduced the time it has taken to process the subsequent grant application. To discuss registering someone with the Police Dependants’ Trust, please contact us.

Grant application form

At Appendix A you will find a completed Police Dependants’ Trust application form. We have included this form, completed using fictional details, to demonstrate the level of information we need to process an application as effectively as possible. All of the information requested during the application process is important so the form should be completed as fully as possible. The answers to some of the questions enable us to cross-check details relating to a person’s police service, while others help us to establish whether an applicant is entitled to any of the other grants available from the Trust. Please note that applicants who are applying for more than one grant do not need to complete more than one application form. Instead, any additional supporting material should be included in the section marked ‘Interviewing Officer’s Report’ The financial information requested during the application process is very important; not only in terms of establishing the level of support that should be provided to an individual, but also to assist the Trustees in fulfilling their legal responsibilities in managing the Trust. The main aim of the Trust is to provide financial support by way of grants and it does this on the basis of need.

How to contact us:

If you would like to discuss a grant application or have any other queries, please get in touch. Telephone: 020 8941 6907 Email: office@pdtrust.org Of you can write to us at: The Police Dependants’ Trust 3 Mount Mews High Street Hampton Middlesex TW12 2SH

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Once an application has been received

Completed application forms are received at the Trust office where they are checked (to ensure they have been completed fully) and logged. The applications are then put forward for consideration by the Trustees at their regular Management Committee meetings. These meetings normally take place at least six times each year. The Trustees consider each application on a needs basis. Generally applications are received, processed and concluded within twelve weeks. The exception to this is those cases which are deemed as emergencies; such cases will be dealt with as swiftly as possible. All of our grants are issued in the form of a cheque.

Unsuccessful applications

Applicants can reapply for support at any time but the subsequent application should demonstrate a greater need for support or a change in circumstances.

The application process at a glance

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Help us to help you The more detailed an application form is, the better equipped we are to process it efficiently and in good time. For this reason, we would rather receive too much information than too little.

Questions and Answers

Who we help

What is the criteria for registering with the Trust? The Trust exists for the purpose of aiding officers who have been killed or injured on duty. By ‘injured on duty’ we mean an incapacitation injury or illness arising from the hazards or special nature of police work. What is meant by the term Police Dependants? A police dependant is a person who depends/depended on a police officer family member for support, aid or sustenance, especially financial support. So alongside an officer’s immediate family (including spouse/partner, child, step-child, or foster child) a dependant may also be, for example, an elderly relative for whom the officer is/was a carer. Does an officer have to donate to the Trust to be eligible for support? No. Once we know an officer and/or their dependants meet the Trust’s criteria, support is considered on the basis of need. Please note the Trust does rely on donations from the police family and the wider public to fund its work and so all donations are gratefully received.

How to apply

How do I apply for support? Anyone seeking financial support from the Trust must first be registered. Please contact us to request a copy of the relevant form by calling 020 8941 6907 or click here to send us an email. I am aware that I am eligible for support from the Trust and even though I don’t need it at present I have been advised to register. Why is that? We strongly advise that any officer who suffers an injury on duty registers with the Trust immediately regardless of whether they need support at that time. The reason for this is that should an injured officer need support in the future, their prior registration will help to speed up their application for a grant. Often when an officer or their dependants need support, their need is urgent and there have been recent cases where early registration has reduced the time it has taken to process a subsequent grant application. Can I apply for more than one type of grant at a time? It is possible to apply for more than one grant at a time. It is also

How to contact us:

If you would like to discuss a grant application or have any other queries, please get in touch. Telephone: 020 8941 6907 Email: office@pdtrust.org Of you can write to us at: The Police Dependants’ Trust 3 Mount Mews High Street Hampton Middlesex TW12 2SH

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possible to apply for different grants over a longer period of time, provided the needs of the applicant can be demonstrated. Applicants who are applying for more than one grant do not need to complete more than one application form. Instead, any additional supporting material should be included in the section marked ‘Interviewing Officer’s Report’ I have completed the application form in full but would like to provide additional supporting information/material. Is this possible? Any additional information which will help the Trustees to reach a decision on an application is welcomed. It is also important to note that withholding information requested by the Trust may result in an application being declined.

After you have applied

How are funding decisions made? Completed application forms are received at the Trust office where they are checked (to ensure they have been completed fully) and logged on our system. The applications are then put forward for consideration by our Trustees at their regular Management Committee meetings. These meetings normally take place at least six times each year. The Trustees consider each application on a needs basis. When will I hear about the progress of my application? Generally applications are received, processed and concluded within twelve weeks. The exception to this is those cases which are deemed as emergencies; such cases will be dealt with as swiftly as possible. By what method are grants paid? All of our grants are issued in the form of a cheque. I have been turned down for support on this occasion. Will I be able to apply again in the future? Applicants can reapply for support at any time but the subsequent application should demonstrate a greater need for support or a change in circumstances. How often are grants reviewed? Most of the grants provided by the Trust take the form of single payment. In the case of Assistance Grants, which often relate to an on-going need, a new application is required annually so the Trust can ensure it is helping those people with the greatest need.

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Any questions? These are just some of the questions we are regularly asked. If you have any suggestions as to frequently asked questions that we could usefully provide an answer to, please let us know. We could include them on our website and in future editions of this User Guide.

Questions and Answers continued...

Miscellaneous

Following my injury award, I retired to Spain. Am I still eligible to apply for a grant? Yes. Grants are not restricted to those individuals who are living in the UK. What happens when an officer from one force retires to another force area having received an injury award? This scenario does not normally pose a problem but we suggest you call the Trust office directly on 020 8941 6907 so we can assist you further.

How to contact us:

If you would like to discuss a grant application or have any other queries, please get in touch. Telephone: 020 8941 6907 Email: office@pdtrust.org Of you can write to us at: The Police Dependants’ Trust 3 Mount Mews High Street Hampton Middlesex TW12 2SH

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Appendix A - Sample completed application form

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Police Dependants’ Trust

3 Mount Mews High Street Hampton Middlesex TW12 2SH

Phone: 020 8941 6907

E-mail: office@pdtrust.org