Dear Applicant,

The Support Scheme is a grant awarding scheme for victims and survivors of Church abuse who find themselves in urgent need of support. The Scheme is intended to give short-term help and support to survivors whose life circumstances are significantly affected because of the abuse that they have suffered. The Scheme is designed to help in times of crisis and assist with immediate and urgent needs.

To provide a scheme that is fair and equitable we will need to undertake an assessment of your needs and circumstances. You can apply to the scheme if the following circumstances are met:

• You have experienced Church-related abuse based on the available information and
• You need immediate support to avoid either a substantial risk to your mental or physical health or a substantial risk that you will be unable to carry out normal day-to-day activities and
• This need arises from the Church-related abuse
• The support requested is not available from any other source e.g., via Universal Credit, NHS or from any other form of state benefit or support.

The information you share is confidential, however the scheme is not able to respond to safeguarding concerns or allegations that are being made for the first time. In line with National Safeguarding Practice Guidance, we ensure all concerns are known by Diocese Safeguarding Teams to ensure risks are safely managed. In some circumstances we may need to share information with statutory agencies if we are concerned you are at risk of harm. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information. We will respond to you with care, and we understand some conversations may be difficult for you.