Liverpool Merchants' Guild

Could Liverpool Merchants' Guild fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants
£1,000 – £6,000
Where they fund
Merseyside
Applications
Accepted
How to apply
Online form
Decisions
Rolling (no fixed deadline)

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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liverpoolmerchantsguild.org.uk

About Liverpool Merchants' Guild

The Liverpool Merchants' Guild provides direct financial support to older people in Merseyside facing financial hardship. Its mission is to relieve poverty and distress among individuals aged 50 and over who have worked in professional, supervisory, clerical, or other non-manual roles, helping them maintain dignity and independence in later life. The Guild focuses on former non-manual workers who fall into hardship in later life, a group often overlooked by mainstream elderly poverty funds. Their funding approach is person-centred and preventative, aiming to sustain quality of life and enable older people to remain in their own homes.

What Liverpool Merchants' Guild funds

The Guild funds poverty relief, support for older people, and disability needs. They provide grants for core costs, equipment, and capital works. Supported costs include everyday essentials, home adaptations such as stair-lifts and bathroom conversions, mobility aids, household appliances, and energy-saving improvements. The fund operates across Merseyside, including Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, and Wirral. They help people who live or have lived in the Merseyside area and who now lack sufficient retirement income.

Who can apply

The Liverpool Merchants' Guild provides funding exclusively to individuals. They do not support organisations, projects, or group-based initiatives. Eligible individuals are aged 50 and over, living or having lived in Merseyside, and in financial hardship. They must have worked in a professional, self-employed (non-manual), supervisory, clerical, or non-manual role. The Guild prioritises those who now lack sufficient retirement income, often overlooked by mainstream poverty funds.

What Liverpool Merchants' Guild doesn't fund

The Guild does not fund organisations, registered charities, community groups, or any entity other than individuals. They also exclude one-off grants for rent arrears, debts to family members or friends, legal fees, and private medical treatment. They do not support group-based initiatives or projects.

How they like to fund

The Guild offers both regular payments (multi-year support) and one-off grants. They fund core costs, equipment, and capital works. They welcome unsolicited applications from eligible individuals. Their approach is person-centred, providing sustained support to help older people remain in their homes.

How much does Liverpool Merchants' Guild give?

Liverpool Merchants' Guild runs one grant programme. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 15 sourced facts

Liverpool Merchants' Guild SupportRolling applications
Up to £6,000
  • Online application form
  • Multi-year funding

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What Liverpool Merchants' Guild funds — and what they won't

Their stated priorities

We help people aged 50 and over who live (or have lived) in the Merseyside area, who are in financial hardship and who have worked in a professional or self-employed capacity (in a non-manual role) or in a supervisory, clerical or non-manual role. Regular payments up to £8,000 per annum; one-off grants up to £6,000 (application form) or £8,000 (guidance).

Where they fund
Merseyside
Costs they'll cover
Core costsEquipmentCapital works & buildings
They don't fund
Registered charitiesCIOsCICsCompanies limited by guaranteeUnincorporated associationsTrustSchoolFaith groupsCommunity groupsSocial enterprisesCommunity benefit societies
The full exclusions list (4)
  • One off Grants to pay rent arrears or debts
  • One off Grants to pay debts owing to family members or friends
  • Legal fees
  • Private medical treatment

Good to know

FaithNo restriction
Focus areas
Older peoplePoverty & hardship

How to apply to Liverpool Merchants' Guild

Liverpool Merchants' Guild takes applications via online form.

  • Published programme route: online application form.
  • Decisions are typically rolling (no fixed deadline).
  • Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

What Liverpool Merchants' Guild's application asks

We hold the 11 questions from Liverpool Merchants' Guild's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.

Question 1

I am over 50 years old.

Question 2

I currently live in Merseyside, or have lived in Merseyside in the past for a continuous period of at least 15 years.

9 more questions from their form, plus answers drafted from your charity's real data if you decide to apply.

How it works

  1. 1
    Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
  2. 2
    See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
  3. 3
    Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if Liverpool Merchants' Guild could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Liverpool Merchants' Guild provide?

Liverpool Merchants' Guild runs one grant programme — Liverpool Merchants' Guild Support: Up to £6,000.

Where does Liverpool Merchants' Guild fund charities?

Liverpool Merchants' Guild funds charities operating in Merseyside.

Does Liverpool Merchants' Guild accept unsolicited applications?

Liverpool Merchants' Guild accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does Liverpool Merchants' Guild not fund?

Their published exclusions include: One off Grants to pay rent arrears or debts; One off Grants to pay debts owing to family members or friends; Legal fees; Private medical treatment. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from Liverpool Merchants' Guild?

Liverpool Merchants' Guild takes applications via online form. Published programme route: online application form.

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Could Liverpool Merchants' Guild be a fit?

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