Backup Tech

Backup Tech, formerly Lite Relief, Behind The Scenes UK, and TECH: The Technical Entertainment Charity, is the UK's specialist charity founded in the early 2000s by industry leaders to provide tailored financial and wellbeing support to technical professionals, crew, production personnel, and supply chain workers in live events, music touring, theatre, and broadcast sectors. Its mission centers on addressing acute crises like serious illness, injury, mental health struggles, and financial hardship that disproportionately impact freelance behind-the-scenes workers, guided by values of fairness, kindness, respect, and empowerment. Distinctively person-centric, it offers holistic aid—including medical grants for living costs, expenses, retraining, and travel; hardship grants for unemployment or incapacity; and wellbeing programs like free Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) training via the AJ Bursary, addiction workshops, counselling grants, a 24/7 helpline, and online resources—to destigmatize help-seeking and enable recovery and return to work.

Funding targets individuals with at least five years' professional experience in UK entertainment technology (behind the curtain, camera, or on the road), including immediate family members facing crises; it does not support charities, organizations, or general projects. Applications are UK-wide with no geographic, income, religious, or entity restrictions beyond this sector-specific criterion.

Grants typically range from £500 to £5,000 (AJ Bursary ~£300-£350), awarded via a simple online form on a rolling basis, with trustee decisions in 4-6 weeks. Backup Tech stands out as the only UK charity with this comprehensive remit for technical entertainment workers, emphasizing ongoing guidance and adaptation to sector needs over organizational funding or core costs.