Sainsbury’s aims to provide colleagues with wellbeing support and recognises that extreme financial pressure affects overall wellbeing. That’s why the confidential colleague support fund (SCSF), administered by the Retail Trust, has been set up to help Sainsbury’s colleagues who are experiencing significant financial difficulties due to a change in circumstances, including:
- A traumatic event that is causing a financial crisis
- A sudden drop in income or significant increase in household costs that mean you can’t meet your priority bills or provide basic essentials for your family
- You’re currently homeless or at risk of homelessness
- You need financial help to leave an abusive relationship, or you need help with set-up costs after a relationship breakdown
- You or someone in your household are experiencing a (long-term) period of ill health
- Essential unforeseen home repairs or improvements or adaptations are needed.
For further details on the eligibility criteria, how the fund can support you and the rules relating to applications for the non-repayable financial assistance, click here.
Please remember the SCSF is unable to pay cash awards directly to you. If you don’t meet the criteria for support through the SCSF, please take a look at the benefits section here to explore the range of alternative support options available to Sainsbury’s colleagues.
As with everything at the Retail Trust, applying for financial support is completely confidential, and no information regarding your application will be shared with your employer.
Please note that an application for financial aid from the SCSF is not a guarantee of support.
Submitting your application
You can submit your application in three easy to follow steps.
1. Complete your online application form, providing key information relating to you, your employment and the reason why you are requesting financial aid.
Remember to select your current employer from the list as - Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd
Please also confirm within the ‘reason for application’ section, the area of the Sainsbury’s business you work in from one of the below:
- Bank
- Retail
- SSC
- Logistics
2. Upload your supporting evidence including your last six payslips, bank statements, bills or supplier invoices relevant to your application. Bank statements and bills must be dated within the last three months before your application. We only require copies so we can accept photographs (JPEG and PNG) or PDFs of your documents.
Important: until you upload your supporting documentation your application will not be visible to the Retail Trust team, so remember to do this as soon as possible to avoid any delays in processing your application. Failure to upload your supporting documentation within ten days will result in your application being automatically closed.
3. Your application is now complete. You’ll receive an automated email confirming your application and you should expect to hear from the Retail Trust team within 14 days with a decision on your application.
Unfortunately, we are unable to fast track applications, but the Retail Trust aims to approve successful applications (where all supporting documentation has been submitted) within a maximum of 14 business days.
You can view the progress of your submitted financial aid application using your user details (email address and password) to log into your account.
Once your application has been allocated to your nominated caseworker, they’ll be in contact with you directly with any questions relating to your application.
When your application has been reviewed, we’ll email you with a decision.
If your application is successful, the Retail Trust will arrange to make the financial assistance payment. Please note that payments are made directly to the supplier of the goods or service and not to yourself.
Click here for frequently asked questions
If you have any queries about completing or submitting an application form, please take a look at the colleague fund guide or call our wellbeing helpline on 0808 801 0808, Monday to Friday between 9am and 4.30pm.