Guide to finding support

We’ve put together a question and answer guide to finding support to give you an idea of the range of services available. It will help you identify the way that we can best help you. You’ll also be able to check that you’re eligible for financial assistance. If you’re in any doubt, you can always Contact us to talk about your situation.

Who can apply?

We are only able to help:

• Members of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

• Former members of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers who paid subscription fees for at least five years

• The spouses, widows, widowers, children, relatives and other dependants of such members or former members (even if these members are no longer living)

What kind of support can I apply for?

As the support we provide depends on individual circumstances, it can vary quite widely. Here are a few of the ways we can help:

• Making regular payments towards living expenses. Find out more about Maintenance and living grants

• Providing replacement domestic appliances, eg. a new washing machine or cooker. Find out more about replacement Domestic appliances

• Covering the costs of specific items, eg. special medical equipment. Find out more about Maintenance and living grants

• Helping to convert a house to provide easier access for the disabled with an interest-free loan. Find out more about Interest-free loans

• Providing respite care, carer’s breaks and grants towards family holidays. Find out more about Holiday grants

• Offering student grants to cover equipment costs, course materials and living expenses. Find out more about Support Network Student grants

• Nominating sheltered housing and residential care across the UK. Find out more about Residential care and sheltered housing

• Offering help to people looking for a new job in connection with a leading HR consultancy. Find out more about our Help to find a job

To apply for any of the services listed above, the first step is to Contact us directly.

You can also get free expert advice from telephone helplines. Sometimes good advice or guidance from a professional can stop a much more serious situation arising – for example specialised debt advice may help you manage a temporary money difficulty which could otherwise develop into a financial crisis.

The helplines cover a range of topics:

• For advice on everyday queries including family, health and financial matters, use our free General advice helpline

• For help with your legal rights and options from Employment Law, house purchase queries and Consumer Rights, use our free Legal advice helpline

• For advice on money matters including budgeting and debt management, you have a choice of confidential Financial advice helplines

If you can’t see a service that suits your needs, we may be able to help in some other way. You can always Contact us to discuss your situation.

Does it matter how much I earn or what savings I have?

Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Household income and savings will be taken into consideration.
Priority is given to those people with limited means. In general terms, this means capital assets of less than £16,000. Most regular grants go to those on low incomes, who qualify for means-tested state benefits. We always make sure that applicants are receiving any statutory benefits, such as Jobseeker’s allowance, to which they are entitled.
However, we sometimes provide assistance for people who have capital or income above these amounts, where a special need is identified.

Can I apply on someone else’s behalf?

Yes, we welcome applications from caseworkers or family members.

Sometimes people are not sure if a close relative, no longer alive – say a father or a husband – was a member of the IMechE, even though they know he was an engineer. Please Contact us if you want to check whether someone you know was a member. We keep membership records going back over forty years, and the more information you can give us about the person, the better.

Is there anything Support Network can’t help with?

Yes, we cannot provide financial assistance for the following:
• School fees
• Business ventures
• Private medical treatment
• Payment of debts

How do I make an application?

First of all you need to Contact us, either by phone, letter, email or fax. We will ask you a few questions about your situation before sending you an application form to complete.

What information do I need for the application form?

You will need to give full details of your savings, capital debts, income and expenditure.

What happens after I have returned my application?

We will arrange for one of the Support Network's volunteer visitors to contact you and fix a mutually convenient time to meet up. 

Our visitors provide the face-to-face contact between us as an organisation and the people we support. Your visitor will then prepare a report on your application, assessing the support appropriate to your situation.
For more information about Support Network visitors or volunteering, visit our Volunteering section.

At the time of receiving your application, we will also make sure that you are getting all the statutory benefits to which you may be entitled.

The final step for every application is consideration by the Support Network's Grants Committee. The Committee looks at each case carefully before coming to a decision about what can be offered. Grants Committee meetings are held every two months.

For information about the Support Network's Trustees, visit our Trustees section.  

Can I get emergency financial support?

Yes, if there is an immediate need for funds, the Chairman of Trustees can make an emergency grant, usually within two working days.

What if I can’t find a service that suits my needs here?

You can always Contact us to discuss your situation. There may be some other way that we can help.