The Postal Family Fund assess each application for evidence of hardship to a Royal Mail or Post Office Ltd employee’s family with children (or a former employee receiving a pension and who has children). We receive more applications than we have money to fund and therefore we have to make difficult decisions as to which ones will be awarded a grant.

First, each application form is checked to see if it has been fully completed and then to see if it meets the eligibility criteria. The household net income is calculated from the information on the form and from current Government benefits and allowances. Once this is done, the form is sent out securely, to a subcommittee of experienced Trustees who then carry out a detailed assessment.

There is no advantage in an early submission, but it does help Postal Family Fund in administering the scheme especially when we anticipate a lot of applications. 

Yes, based on the experience of previous years. 

No, all the results will be sent out at the same time. 

If successful, a member of our team will be in touch with you by email with further information. Please make sure you have postalfamily@royamail.com saved in your email account and regularly check your inbox. If you have not received an email from us, please check your junk mail before getting in touch with us.  

No, the grant is a charitable gift and is made by Trustees exercising their discretion. There is no entitlement to the grant or bursary. It does not form part of your contract of employment with Royal Mail or Post Office Ltd. 

We regret that we cannot give reasons why an application has not been successful. We have very limited staff resource, and such a task would divert the secretary from other charitable tasks involving vulnerable people. Each application will have been assessed by (usually) 6 Trustees and the process is very rigorous and over the years has been proved to be fair and consistent. Trustees can only consider the information about you and your family circumstances if it is set out on the form, so it is up to you to make sure the form is properly and comprehensively completed before submission. Trustees cannot consider information provided after the closing date for applications unless they have written to you to request clarification or additional information. 

The Trustees decision shall be final in all cases – there is no right of appeal. 

The Trustees have discretion in deciding the amount of the bursary/grant within the overall monetary level advertised for the scheme.

The bursary/grant is a charitable gift of the Trustees of Postal Family Fund it does not arise from any entitlement or contract of employment or pension, or by reason of any regular or other support given by Postal Family Fund.

The Trustees reserve the right to make payment by any such methods as they deem suitable: it may be paid to the applicant parent or to the academy or institution direct. It may be paid in instalments.

The Trustees shall announce their decision by writing to the applicant.