I recently came across information about a new one-stop online platform that allows people in need to receive grants and other support from charities and local authorities.
Founded in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, Lightning Reach’s grants portal, developed with partners including the Royal British Legion allows those in financial distress to do it all online, including ID verification. It aims to match people to personalised support they may be eligible for based on their circumstances, and also allows them to use the information provided across multiple applications to different organisations.
The platform says that individuals are in some cases able to receive hardship grant money within five days of applying.