Got a question about LionHeart's grants?
Giving financial assistance during difficult times goes back to LionHeart's very origins as a benevolent fund back in 1899, when we were established by a generous donation from the then outgoing president of the RICS, Robert Vigers. Although over the years we developed many other services - recognising that with financial need often came a range of other practical and emotional needs - grant-giving remained an important part of what we do.
However, we sometimes find there are many misconceptions about what types of grants we offer (and to who) so we've rounded up some of the most frequent questions people have.
What kind of grants does LionHeart offer?
We offer a range of one-off and regular grants which are available if you meet certain criteria. For example, if you have less money coming in than going out each month and are facing difficult financial circumstances brought about unexpected events, such as ill-health, bereavement or job loss.
In 2025/26, we approved grants worth around £380,000.
Who is eligible for financial support from LionHeart?
To qualify for a LionHeart grant you must be one of the following:
- A current or former RICS member (UK or global) – including AssocRICS
- An APC candidate
- A partner of a current or former RICS member
- A final year student on an RICS accredited programme (student grant only, see details below)
What other criteria do you use for grants?
Most of LionHeart’s services are free and non means-tested. However, like most grant-giving charities, and in order to use our resources in the best way we can, we have to apply certain criteria to our financial assistance.
Grants may be given to people with less than £10,000 in savings (not including equity in a family home) if they are in the UK or another country that has state benefits for unemployment and ill-health. For those resident in another country without access to state benefits, this threshold is set at £25,000.
The criteria around household income and savings does sometimes mean that people with serious health conditions are not eligible for financial support from LionHeart – although, of course, all of our other services like counselling and emotional support can be offered. All support is given at the discretion of LionHeart’s Board of Trustees.
There is a process to apply for a LionHeart grant but our experienced support officers will work with you to complete the required paperwork. Usually, grants will be agreed for a set period of time, and may be paid for up to a year. In some more unusual circumstances, this may be extended.
What are your one-off grants for?
As well as our regular grants, we can sometimes offer one-off grants to cover the purchase of essential items, like a fridge or cooker. In some circumstances we can contribute towards respite support for those with caring responsibilities or help with other one-off or recurring expenses that are particular to you, such as help with a mobility aid like a wheelchair.
Our support team always take time to listen to you and actively look for ways we can help. If you’d like to discuss your situation in confidence, please call the helpline on 0800 009 2960 or request a call back here.
What if I’m self-employed or my business is in difficulty?
If you have your own business or are self-employed and experiencing financial pressures, we might still be able to help. We can sometimes provide short term help to get you through a particularly tough time. There has to be a significant change in circumstances, such as the loss of a major customer, where it is expected the business will recover. LionHeart cannot support businesses that are unviable, or if you’re in a situation where you simply aren’t able to earn enough.
The best thing to do is to give us a call and speak to one of our support services team so that your individual circumstances can be considered. Even if you don't think we can help financially, please don't let that stop you getting in touch as there are many other ways we might be able to offer support.
I’ve had an emergency. Can LionHeart help?
The only type of financial support we offer that is non means tested is our emergency grants programme. This is available to RICS members worldwide who have been affected by an unexpected environmental disaster including earthquakes or storms or other incidents such as fire or flood. We may also be able to offer help to professionals who have been affected by geopolitical events, including acts of terrorism, war or civil war, which has led to them being displaced from their homes.
The grant of up to £1,000 (or equivalent) is designed to be quick and easy to access specifically to help people through the immediate aftermath of any emergency or event outside their control, especially if they've been forced to leave their homes and it will take time to access other help such as insurances or government aid.
Once our support officers have been able to make reasonable checks to ensure that you have been affected, the grant will be made as a one-off payment to your bank account. The team can also work with you to determine whether we can offer any other ongoing help, and advise ways we may be able to support you in future.
What don’t we help with?
There are some costs that we are unable to help with as a charity. These include:
Legal costs – these can be open ended and very large. While we can’t meet actual legal costs we do provide a legal helpline, however, which offers initial telephone-based advice on UK law and most European countries on a range of issues such as employment or family law.
Medical costs – our charitable funds can’t be used as a type of medical ‘insurance’ and we don’t pay for private medical or elective treatment. We can only consider help with medical costs in limited circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
Care home costs – because of the very large and open-ended nature of these costs, LionHeart is unable to pay for care home costs. Our experienced support team can, however, advise on accessing all the right benefits and offer a range of help for carers.
I’ve got myself into debt. Can LionHeart help me?
LionHeart’s financial assistance is not designed to pay off people’s debts. But our team can offer confidential support and advice if you are experiencing difficulties with debt, and may be able to refer you to one of our specialist debt counselling partners.
We can also offer support if you are concerned about the impact of bankruptcy or insolvency on your RICS membership.
I’m a student on a surveying course. Do you offer any grants or bursaries?
We have a small student grant programme for students in their final year of an RICS qualifying degree who are in receipt of a full maintenance loan. Eligible students may apply for help to purchase clothing suitable for interviews. We can also reimburse expenses for attending interviews and assessments which lead to entry to the surveying profession and which are not otherwise reimbursed by the recruiting firm.
You can also check out our Eligibility Tool but we'd always encourage people to call the helpline and speak to one of our experienced team in confidence. We pride ourselves on offering support that is tailored to you and your circumstances.
