Army Dependants' Trust

The Army Dependants' Trust is a UK-registered charity founded in 1997 (originally as The Soldiers' Dependants Fund) to deliver swift financial relief to dependants—primarily next of kin, widows, spouses, and children—of British Army personnel (regular, reserve, FTRS, and NRPS) who die in service, on or off duty, regardless of cause. Its core mission promotes Army efficiency by safeguarding bereaved families from acute financial hardship, embodying values of rapid, confidential support, minimal bureaucracy, and targeted welfare to prevent poverty amid bereavement, sickness, disability, or old age. Distinctively, it operates as a member-funded scheme via modest pay deductions, automatically disbursing grants upon official Army notification without any claim process.

It funds urgent, needs-led discretionary cash grants (up to £12,000–£15,000 tax-free per family) for essentials like funerals, travel, short-term debts, and living costs, supporting 100–150 families annually UK-wide. Surplus funds may exceptionally aid ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for broader Army family welfare, but prioritises direct individual relief over projects or organisations.

Unsolicited applications from individuals, charities, or groups are not accepted; eligibility is strictly limited to enrolled dependants of deceased serving members, with no geographic, income, entity type, or religious restrictions specified beyond this. There are no deadlines, open rounds, or application processes—grants trigger automatically for immediate payment.

Exclusions include all external project, core, capital, or organisational funding; it does not support non-Army bereavements or broad causes. Its unique hallmarks are exclusive Army focus, instantaneous intervention, and seamless linkage to specialist military charities, differentiating it as a non-conventional, beneficiary-direct grant-maker minimising administrative burdens for the military community.