The Seafarers’ Charity’s UK Maritime Anchor Fund is now open for applications for those impacted by the P&O Ferries redundancies. It will support seafarers through financial help, advice, relationship counselling and mental health.
The UK Maritime Anchor Fund provides an end-to-end package of support for seafarers experiencing financial hardship related to loss of work or disruption of employment opportunities. The fund will support UK merchant seafarers, of working age, and can be accessed via Seafarers’ Advice and Information Line (SAIL).
The UK Maritime Anchor Fund addresses financial difficulties and their impact which can include strained personal relationships and impact mental health. Merchant seafarers can apply to the Fund if experiencing hardship. Grants are available to cover a significant reduction in income, top-up of Universal Credit and payment of priority debts relating to mortgage or rent, council tax and arrears, etc.
The grant is just one part of a wide range of support which will enable a return to stability and financial resilience. It includes:
- Confidential personal advice on financial matters such as budgeting, income maximization and access to eligible welfare benefits – provided by SAIL
- Advice and help to tackle other related problems such as debt, tax and housing issues – provided by SAIL
- Up to six sessions of free relationship counselling (referrals will be made by SAIL to Relate)
- Mental health and wellbeing support and counselling – provided by TogetherAll and funded by Seafarers’ Hospital Society – who also manage the Anchor Fund administration.
As mentioned, the Fund is open to any working age, UK national seafarer experiencing hardship because of financial problems regardless of rank or length of service. Anyone in this category facing challenges due to being made redundant is encouraged to contact SAIL to discuss their situation confidentially, whether the challenge is relationship difficulties or problems paying priority debts, the Fund will address a wide range of problems.
The Seafarers’ Charity works in the UK and world-wide to support seafarers. We are extremely concerned for the wellbeing for seafarers made redundant on 17 March by P&O Ferries. We are pleased to offer help to P&O Ferries seafarers through the UK Maritime Anchor Fund and encourage UK seafarers to call SAIL to discuss how the fund can help
…the Seafarers’ Charity, Chief Executive Officer, Catherine Spencer said.
