How to apply for help

You’ll be asked for the following information.

Proof of Civil Service status:

• a copy of an official document (e.g. latest payslip, Civil Service pension advice or other form of communication from the Civil Service employer) on headed paper showing the workplace / department details
• start and end dates of Civil Service employment
• Civil Service department and workplace address

You will also be asked about any previous employment so we can signpost you to other occupational organisations if relevant.

Financial details:

• Bank / Building Society statements for all accounts held by all members of your household for the last full month. Each statement must show the name and address of the account holder, as well as account number and sort code. Each should cover the same period if possible. Includes Post Office accounts, ISAs, savings and Credit Unions
• most up to date notification for state benefits / allowances / household bills that you receive
• other documents supporting your application such as bills you are asking for help with

You’ll also be asked questions about your household financial situation, including income and expenditure. These will help us to process your application.

Before you apply, please read our guidelines around savings and what can and can’t help with.

You’ll be asked for the following information.

Proof of Civil Service status:

• a copy of an official document (e.g. latest payslip, Civil Service pension advice or other form of communication from the Civil Service employer) on headed paper showing the workplace / department details
• start and end dates of Civil Service employment
• Civil Service department and workplace address

You will also be asked about any previous employment so we can signpost you to other occupational organisations if relevant.

Financial details:

• Bank / Building Society statements for all accounts held by all members of your household for the last full month. Each statement must show the name and address of the account holder, as well as account number and sort code. Each should cover the same period if possible. Includes Post Office accounts, ISAs, savings and Credit Unions
• most up to date notification for state benefits / allowances / household bills that you receive
• other documents supporting your application such as bills you are asking for help with

You’ll also be asked questions about your household finances, including income and expenditure. These will help us to build a picture of your financial situation so we can tailor the information and advice we give to you.

You’ll be asked for proof of Civil Service status:

• a copy of an official document (e.g. latest payslip, Civil Service pension advice or other form of communication from the Civil Service employer) on headed paper showing the workplace / department details
• start and end dates of Civil Service employment
• Civil Service department and workplace address

You will also be asked about any previous employment so we can signpost you to other occupational organisations if relevant.

You’ll be asked for proof of Civil Service employment of the person you are financially dependent on. This includes:

• name of civil servant
• date of birth of civil servant
• date of death of civil servant (if applicable)
• their workplace department and address
• start and end dates of their Civil Service employment
• proof of their Civil Service status (e.g. latest payslip, Civil Service pension advice or other form of communication from the Civil Service employer) on headed paper showing the workplace / department details

Then we’ll need to know details about you depending on what type of support you are asking for (see above).

We’ll also ask for details of your own employment so we can signpost you to other occupational organisations if relevant.

We only share information with third parties (professional organisations we work with to provide specialist services) when it may be of benefit to you and you have given your consent.

See our full privacy statement.

This information is used to give a picture of your full circumstances and needs. For financial support this may be required to give you the most appropriate help, such as benefits or other areas of help.

Civil Service employment only

• if you are currently working in the Civil Service, we’ll need your workplace address and the date you started
• if you are a former or retired civil servant, please give us the name of the department and the dates you worked there. If you can remember your workplace address, please give it to us. If you cannot remember the exact start and end dates, put in the first of the month and estimate the year

Non Civil Service employment

You’ll also be asked about other companies you have worked for. We will use this to signpost you to other organisations that could support or advise you.

Email help@cfcs.org.uk with details, and attach screenshots where possible. Or call our freephone line 0800 056 2424 (option 2) between 10am to 1pm weekdays.

• before you submit your application form, you can go back to change any information
• log into your portal account and click on My Applications. Any application that can be edited will have a blue pen and paper icon on the right
• you have 28 days from when you started the application, to submit it
• once your application has been submitted, it cannot be edited

• you can upload documents as you go through the application form
• if you need to send us documents after your application has been submitted you can send them via a message from your portal, email help@cfcs.org.uk or post them to us (Help and Advice team, Charity for Civil Servants, 5 Anne Boleyn’s Walk, Cheam, Sutton, SM3 8DY) . If you’re emailing us, please put your reference number (beginning APP-) in the subject line
• we accept photocopies but if you send us original documents, they will be returned to you

• if you haven’t submitted your application, it will automatically be closed after 28 days
• if you’ve already submitted an application, you can contact us to let us know you want to cancel it. You can do this by logging into your portal account and clicking on the little envelope in the top right corner, by emailing help@cfcs.org.uk or calling our freephone number 0800 056 2424. If you’re emailing us, please put your reference number (beginning APP-) in the subject line

• if you completed an online application, send us a message with the information. Log into your portal account and click the envelope in the top right corner. Click New Message to start the message. You’ll need to know your application number (from My Applications) to choose the correct case for the message
• if you cannot send us a message, please email the changes to help@cfcs.org.uk or call our freephone number 0800 056 2424. If you’re emailing us, please put your reference number (beginning APP-) in the subject line
• if a lot of information needs to be changed, it may be easier to start a new application

We recommend that you take screenshots of each page of your application. You will not be able to print out the form. Once you’ve submitted your application, you won’t be able to access it.

• if you’re completing an online form, you will need to confirm, on the application, that the person who needs the help has given you permission to complete the form on their behalf
• if you’re completing a paper application on someone’s behalf, they will need to sign the forms

• we can provide advice for debt and budgeting, wellbeing difficulties and caring responsibilities
• we will refer you to specialist, professional organisations for advice and support outside of our expertise

• we can’t give advice about financial planning (such as pension plans and investment advice), Civil Service employment, immigration law or tax issues
• we cannot give advice on medical issues (treatment, medicine etc) as we are not trained doctors or counsellors
• however we can signpost you to the right people who will be able to give advice in these areas

• we do not provide legal advice nor pay for legal costs. We work with Law Express to provide a legal information app and, if needed, up to three, 25-minute, advisory telephone calls on a subject
• Law Express does not provide information on immigration law or Civil Service employment

You can check the status of your application by logging into your portal account.

• when we have received your completed application, we check your eligibility and identity and that we have the supporting documents needed
• your application is then allocated to a caseworker. Timescales depend on the volume of applications
• the caseworker may ask for further information. Your application cannot be progressed until we have this
• if you made an application via your portal, please check ‘My Applications’ and your messages to see the progress of your application
• if you’ve missed a money or wellbeing appointment, we cannot help until you have rebooked the appointment. We may not be able to give you another one immediately

When we are very busy it may take up to six weeks for your application to be allocated to a caseworker.

• if you have started your application and not submitted it, we send reminders via a portal message
• you’ll get a reminder at 14 days and a final reminder 7 days later giving you 7 further days to submit your application
• if you’ve not submitted your application after 28 days, it will be closed
• you’ll need to start a new application if you still want our help

We’re committed to delivering a high standard of service to anyone who engages with our work. If you feel we have fallen short of the high standards we set ourselves please read our complaints procedure to learn how to make a complaint.