Are you an older person living in Surrey who finds it hard to make ends meet? Do you know an older person who might welcome some help with day to day living costs? If so, national charity Friends of the Elderly can offer one-off grants to older Surrey residents, to help relieve the stress and worry often experienced by older people living on a low income.


These grants are towards utility bills, household repairs and adaptations; the purchase of mobility aids and the replacement of essential items that support daily living, such as basic furniture, flooring, and household appliances; and the cost of equipment such as tablets and broadband to help people get and stay online. They are available to older people who are over state retirement age who are not care home residents, and who are living on a low income. They are available through Friends of the Elderly courtesy of Surrey-based trust funds.

Lois Walters Engagement Hub Team Leader at Friends of the Elderly said: “Our grants are part of Friends of the Elderly’s vision of a society where all older people have the opportunity to live fulfilled lives, and its mission to support older people, especially those in need due to isolation or poverty. The grants go some way to relieving the stress and worry older people may face: we are very grateful to the trust providers who make them possible”.

• Guidance notes about eligibility for these grants can be downloaded at: www.fote.org.uk/our-services/grants/
• More information is also available by calling Friends of the Elderly on 0330 332 1110 (Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm) or emailing hello@fote.org.uk

One pensioner contacted Friends of the Elderly recently after been diagnosed with lung cancer, feeling desperate and unable to cope. We contributed towards the cost of her heating bill.  An alarming 1.4m older people in the UK are living in fuel poverty.

She said: “I wish I could really put into words just how much it means to have your help and support. The financial assistance is so reassuring. It really does make a difference, and means I don’t have to choose between keeping warm and eating. I cannot thank you enough for the help you give me….It is like a blanket on a cold night.”

Article supplied by Deborah Hyde