Apply For Financial Support
If you have received a cancer diagnosis and are experiencing financial hardship, you may be eligible to apply for financial support from The Amara Centre.
The Amara Bridge Grant provides £200 per month from the date of diagnosis for three months, providing up to £600 of additional financial support during this initial period.
Before You Apply
Please note:
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Applications must be made within 90 days of the date of diagnosis.
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You must have received a cancer diagnosis in the United Kingdom.
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You must provide confirmation of your cancer diagnosis from the hospital or healthcare provider responsible for your care.
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Confirmation must be completed, signed and stamped by a registered healthcare professional.
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Your household must have no more than £5,000 in accessible savings or cash assets at the time of application.
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You must provide a recent bank statement showing your household’s accessible savings or cash assets at the time of application.
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Your application will be assessed against the programme’s eligibility criteria and available funding.
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Submitting an application does not automatically guarantee financial support.
Confirming Your Diagnosis
To protect your privacy, The Amara Centre does not require detailed medical information about your cancer.
The only medical information required for the Bridge Grant application is confirmation that you have received a cancer diagnosis.
A diagnosis confirmation form will be available for your hospital or healthcare provider to complete. The form must be completed, signed and stamped by a registered healthcare professional and uploaded or submitted as part of your application.
No further medical details are required by The Amara Centre for the purpose of processing your application.
Financial Information
The Amara Bridge Grant is intended to provide additional financial support to people experiencing financial hardship following a cancer diagnosis.
To keep the application process straightforward and focused, the Bridge Grant uses a single financial eligibility test based on household accessible savings and cash assets.
Your household must have £5,000 or less in accessible savings or cash assets at the time of application.
Applicants must disclose all current and savings accounts held by them when applying for the Bridge Grant.
A recent bank statement must be provided showing the accessible savings or cash assets held by the household at the time of application. This helps us verify the information provided and ensure that applications are assessed fairly and consistently.
The Amara Centre does not routinely assess applicants based on their salary, household income, property ownership, personal possessions, pension savings or other assets that are not readily accessible as cash.
What Counts as Accessible Savings or Cash Assets?
For the purposes of the Bridge Grant, accessible savings or cash assets may include:
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Money held in current or savings accounts.
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Cash ISAs and similar accessible savings accounts.
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Other readily accessible cash savings held by members of the household.
The following are not ordinarily treated as accessible savings or cash assets:
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The applicant’s primary home.
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Personal possessions and household belongings.
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A vehicle used for ordinary personal or household purposes.
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Pension savings that are not readily accessible.
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Insurance or critical illness claims that have not yet been paid.
Where circumstances are unclear, The Amara Centre may request additional information necessary to determine eligibility.
Privacy and Confidentiality
We understand that information relating to cancer and personal finances is sensitive.
The Amara Centre will handle information provided through the application process responsibly and with respect for applicants’ privacy.
We request only the information necessary to assess and process your application for financial support from The Amara Centre and to administer the Bridge Grant.
Our Approach
The Amara Centre is guided by the AHEAD Framework and CHIME Principles.
Our application process is designed to be:
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Simple and Compassionate – recognising that applicants may be applying during a difficult period.
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Dignified – treating every applicant with respect.
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Private – requesting only information necessary for the application.
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Fair – applying the programme’s eligibility criteria consistently.
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Transparent – communicating clearly about the application process.
Start Your Application
If you meet the eligibility requirements, please complete the Bridge Grant application form and provide the requested supporting documents.
You will need:
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The date of your cancer diagnosis.
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Confirmation of your diagnosis from your hospital or healthcare provider.
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A completed, signed and stamped diagnosis confirmation form from a registered healthcare professional.
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A recent bank statement showing your household’s accessible savings or cash assets at the time of application.
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The other information requested in the application form.
Applications must be submitted within 90 days of the date of diagnosis.
If you need assistance completing an application, please contact us through our Contact page.