Boots Benevolent Fund

The Boots Benevolent Fund is a long-established registered charity, originating in the early 1900s as a staff-run distress fund for Boots UK Ltd employees and formalized in 1995. Its core mission is to prevent or relieve poverty and financial hardship among current and former Boots employees (including predecessor companies), their immediate relatives, and dependants across the UK. Guided by values of compassion, discretion, dignity, and responsive support, it emphasizes mutual solidarity within the Boots community, with governance involving current and retired staff to deliver personalized, non-judgmental aid that stabilizes lives and fosters resilience.

The Fund provides one-off grants for acute crises, including rent, council tax or utility arrears; funeral expenses; essential household items like white goods; medical or mobility aids; urgent living expenses; debt relief fees; and emergency housing needs. Support is strictly needs-based and practical, focusing on poverty alleviation for individuals and families rather than organizations, projects, or broader initiatives like health education.

Eligible applicants are solely individuals from the Boots workforce community facing genuine hardship, with no income thresholds, organizational requirements, or geographic limits beyond the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). Applications are unsolicited, submitted via email (bbf@boots.co.uk) or post with a detailed form and supporting documents like bank statements and invoices; the rolling process prioritizes urgent cases, with prompt reviews by staff and trustees.

Typical grants range from £500 to £3,000, tailored to severity. It excludes organizations, capital projects, core funding, loans (discontinued), and non-Boots beneficiaries, distinguishing it as a tightly focused, employer-specific benevolent fund rooted in internal duty of care rather than general charity.