Grants of under £750 and over £750 are available to serving and former Royal Naval ratings and Royal Marines other ranks, their partners, children and others connected with them who are in need.
The Royal Navy Benevolent Trust (RNBT) is a Royal Navy and Royal Marine charity that gives help, in cases of need, to serving and former Royal Naval ratings and Royal Marines other ranks, known as "Primary Beneficiaries". The RNBT also helps their partners, children and some others connected with them.
The RNBT can support the following:
- Serving and ex-serving men and women: past or present RN rating or RM other rank, including Reservists – known as a ‘Primary Beneficiary’.
- Wives, husbands and partners: dependent partner of a Primary Beneficiary with whom they live.
- Children: under the age of 18, of a Primary Beneficiary, living or deceased. This may include:
- a dependent child who is not the natural child of a Primary Beneficiary;
- a child who has continued in full-time education on reaching the age of 18;
- a child over the age of 18 but unable to support themselves because of mental or physical disability.
- Widows and widowers of a deceased Primary Beneficiary, with whom they were living at the time of death, and is not living with a new partner, and
- Separated or divorced wives and husbands of a Primary Beneficiary and not living with a new partner.
This is not an exhaustive list as the Trust recognises that individual circumstances can be complicated. The RNBT states that it is always ready to listen and advise applicants whether or not they are eligible.
Each year, the Trust awards grants to just under 3,000 applicants, from under £100 up to several thousand pounds, totalling more than £1.5 million. The circumstances must involve ‘necessity or distress’ (in the words of its Royal Charter), and the range is almost endless. Applications cannot be made directly by an individual - it must be through a recognised agency.
Further information, guidance and details about how to apply can be found on the Trust’s website.
Applications may be made at any time.