Redundancy can be a very stressful process for anyone, particularly if you have children to care for. Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust (FTCT), which provides financial grants for the children of UK fashion and textile families, can help bridge the gap and make sure children have the essentials they need.

To apply for an FTCT grant, you must be the parent or carer for a child aged 0-18 years. You must also work or have recently worked in the UK fashion and textile industry for at least one year within the last nine years.

This includes any business which sells, makes, or distributes products made from fabric. For instance, clothing, textiles, etc. People working in supermarkets and industrial laundries can also apply.

Furthermore, the parent being made redundant does not need to be the person with the trade connection, provided the other parent has one. Click here for more on FTCT’s trade criteria. To find out if you meet the criteria, click here or contact jill@ftct.org.uk.

Applying Again?

If FTCT has helped your children before, you will need to wait 12 months since your last grant was awarded before applying again. If you would like to make a new enquiry, you must check you still meet the criteria first. Click here to find out if you can apply again.

FTCT grants fund items that are essential for children’s health and wellbeing. These items may include:

• Essential clothing – E.g. seasonal clothing, school uniform and PE kit
• Baby essentials – E.g. clothing or equipment
• Children’s bedroom furniture – E.g. beds, bedding, clothes storage furniture
• Essential White Goods – E.g. replacing a broken appliance such as a fridge/freezer, washing machine, cooker/oven
• Specialist items – E.g. items for children with additional needs, such as sensory toys, adaptive clothing, or SEN adapted computers

The first step in applying for a grant is to complete an enquiry form, which is available here. For further information on FTCT, please click here.