We rely on Lodges and individuals for information about cases of distress that might qualify for support and be approved by our Petitions Committee.

Whatever the circumstances, our staff are always willing to discuss potential cases and to give advice on how to apply. If at any stage during the application process it becomes clear that it will not be possible to provide support, we will write to the family to explain the reasons why we cannot help.
 

Initial enquiries

Families can make initial enquiries about possible support either by contacting us directly or by speaking to the Almoner of the qualifying Freemason's Lodge or Province, if known, who will contact us on behalf of the applicant.

To begin the formal application process, a Lodge representative (usually the Almoner) will approach his Province or District to obtain an application form and guidance notes. Representatives of London Lodges should contact us directly for further information.

The Lodge representative will then visit the family at home to compile a short report about their circumstances and complete a form which provides us with an overview of their income and housing costs.

We are committed to ensure that the information you provide to us during the application and grant award process is treated confidentially and in compliance with the Data Protection Act. For more information, please read our our Fair Collection Statement.

Home visit

If it is decided that the application could lead to a petition for support, one of our Welfare Advisers will visit the family home.

Each of our Welfare Advisers has a broad range of experience and can offer support and guidance to families in need of advice.

At the visit, the Welfare Adviser will obtain further details about the family’s circumstances and income, together with information about the cause of their distress to help our Petitions Committee determine whether we can accept the child or children as beneficiaries.

A visit by one of our Welfare Advisers is not a guarantee that we can provide support. 

Final decision

 
In every case our Petitions Committee will make the final decision on whether we can accept the child or children as beneficiaries.  In certain circumstances of extreme distress we can issue an emergency grants from a discretionary fund until the case can be fully considered by the committee.

The family will be informed of the decisions made by the Petitions Committee as soon as possible. 

Case Almoners

If a case is accepted, the Province sponsoring the petition is usually asked to nominate a Case Almoner to act as the link between us and the family.

The Case Almoner will be asked to keep in touch with the family, help them to complete the necessary forms, and assist us in making the right decisions about how best to support each child.

In accordance with our policy for safeguarding children, all Case Almoners are required to follow a clearly defined code of conduct and complete a declaration confirming there is no reason why they should not have contact with children.