Please note there is a 3 week delay in reviewing applications, thank you for your patience
We all need help sometimes when experiencing financial difficulties and challenges. RBF are here to provide financial support to improve circumstances and aid wellbeing.
Our non-repayable grants can help you get back on track if you are struggling with unexpected or unaffordable costs.
Our funds, listed below, have different criteria and cover a range of issues.
We have partnered with Lightning Reach, and creating a profile there is mandatory for this process.
What is Lightning Reach?
Lightning Reach offers a secure, simple way to share your bank statements (and your partner’s, if applicable) directly with us, eliminating the need for uploads or emails. By logging in, you’ll quickly connect your accounts, allowing us to review the necessary financial information to assess your application.
Lightning Reach uses the latest secure technology. We can only access the last three months of statements and cannot make any changes to your account. We use this information to confirm your identity, prevent fraud, and ensure a quick and fair application assessment. Please see our privacy policy for full details on data handling.
It takes approximately 2 weeks for applications to be reviewed.
Please note that calls may be recorded to support your application. For more information regarding how we handle your data please read our privacy policy.
What does connecting a bank account through Lightning Reach mean?
Once you log in, you will be guided through a simple process to connect your account. You will provide the email addresses of the applicant and any spouse/partner in their household as they will need to do this too. This gives Railway Benefit Fund access to view the last 3 months of your statements only (from the date that you connected). We cannot view any other time period, or make any changes to your account.
Is it safe to connect my bank account through Lightning Reach?
Lightning Reach uses the latest technology to process your information in a secure way. It is safer to transfer information through Lightning Reach than via email or post. You can read more about this safety here, and you can learn more about Lighting Reach here.
Do I need to pay my grant back?
No, our grants are non-repayable.
Do I need to be a member to receive help?
No, our charity is not membership-based, our support is for anyone working or has worked in rail in need of some support.
Will my employer or colleagues know I’ve received help from you?
No, our services are strictly confidential. For more information on our data and confidentiality practices please see our privacy policy.
Are you the same as the Transport Benevolent Fund?
No, the Transport Benevolent Fund is a membership organisation which offers many benefits to its members. For more information please visit their website https://tbf.org.uk/.
Do I need to currently work in rail to qualify for support?
While our grant schemes have different criteria, our charity supports current, former, and retired railway workers and their dependents.
I’m a widow of a railway worker. Would I qualify for support?
While our grant schemes have different criteria, our charity supports widows and spouses of railway workers.
I am an apprentice. Would I qualify?
While our grant schemes have different criteria, we can support apprentices who are in need. Please contact the office for more information.
Who is considered a railway worker?
Anyone who supports the work of passengers and goods on UK mainline railways. This can include train drivers, station staff, freight, cleaners, contractors, and the supply chain. Please contact the office if you are unsure.
After years of pain and struggle just to perform basic self-care, the support from RBF has been life-changing, transforming my bathroom into a space I can use with dignity and independence
I’m finding it really helpful. I sometimes go a long time without anyone to talk to and it’s very hard. I’m 94 and meeting new people is difficult, so check in and chat in my own home with a lovely lady to talk to is fantastic. I still manage to get to town to run my errands, although at my age I don’t run! But the casual conversations I have with shop keepers are nothing like the calls, which are much more personal and involved.
Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the help and support this charity has given us, before this I felt so hopeless and worried about the future, it has been a really tough, stressful year but I now have some sense of positivity that things will get easier and that wouldn’t have happened without RBF’s support.
