§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the conditions governing the making of grants from the King's Fund (1940); how much was paid out in the past year; and what are the total assets of the fund.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe King's Fund (1940) is a voluntary charitable fund administered for the trustees by the Department of Health and Social Security. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is the principal trustee of the fund which was instituted in 1940 to help people disabled or bereaved by service in Her Majesty's Forces in the Second World War. The fund is also able to help those disabled or bereaved by service in the 1914 war and in areas such as Korea, Malaya, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.
Other categories who are eligible for help include ex-prisoners of war and their dependants; orphans of members of Her Majesty's Forces who lose their lives in, or as a result of, service at any time; members of the civil defence services disabled or incapacitated during the Second World War and their dependants; and the civilian internees of the Japanese during the Second World War who qualified for a share in the distribution of the proceeds of the Japanese assets in the United Kingdom.
The only restriction on the purposes for which grants can be made from the fund is that no help can be given where the need for the grant can be met by a payment from central Government or local government. During 1977 the main purposes for which grants were provided were help with fuel accounts, purchase of household goods and the settling of hire purchase debts.
The total assets of the fund as at 1st April 1978 were £182,811.34.
Applications for help should be sent to the Secretary, The King's Fund (1940) Norcross, Blackpool, FY5 3TA.