Fashion & Textile Children's Trust

The Fashion & Textile Children's Trust (FTCT), founded in 1853 as The Clothing Trades Benevolent Institution, is a UK charity dedicated exclusively to providing financial support for children and young people (aged 0-18, or up to 21 in further education) of parents or carers who have worked at least one year in the British fashion and textile industry within the past nine years. Driven by values of practical compassion and equity, FTCT acts as a last-resort safety net for families facing sudden hardship from job loss, ill health, or bereavement, funding essential items like beds, school uniforms, clothing, mobility equipment, sensory toys, therapies, educational devices, and household appliances where state support falls short. Its mission emphasizes alleviating poverty, advancing education/training, and aiding disabled children with direct sector links (e.g., clothing, footwear, textiles, laundry).

FTCT funds only individuals and families—not organizations—UK-wide across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, requiring proof of employment, financial need via payslips/bank statements, and hardship documentation. There are no income thresholds, geographic exclusions, or religious restrictions, making it accessible to eligible families nationwide.

Applications are unsolicited and rolling: start with an online eligibility enquiry, followed by a full secure-portal form; decisions come within four weeks, with grants paid directly to applicants/suppliers (receipts required). Awards match specific needs without fixed min/max, typically covering item costs as shown in case studies (e.g., uniforms, beds for orphaned siblings).

Distinctively, FTCT is the UK's sole funder focused entirely on this niche beneficiary group, supplementing—not replacing—statutory aid through rigorous, confidential assessments. It rejects general poverty/youth programs, organizational core costs, or state-funded items, prioritizing immediate child wellbeing via sector partnerships like UKFT.