FAQs about our support for actors and stage managers who are unable to work due to health, life events, and old age and in financial need.
Who can the ABF support?
Actors and stage managers with at least two professional credits in the previous two years or one professional credit per year since the start of their career or ten professional credits or more over their career.
Applicants must also:
- Be aged 18 or older
- Currently live in the UK
- Have a UK bank account
- Have less than £16,000 in household savings or under £23,250 if of pension age, or experiencing a long term health issue.
What do we mean by ‘professional credits’?
For actors:
- Professional credits refer to paid acting roles, for instance in theatre, TV, film and voiceover work (e.g. radio, video games). We can also consider lead roles in commercials, if the applicant’s CV also includes the roles listed above. We do not consider extra, walk-on, or background work as professional credits.
- Where an actor plays one role over a period of more than one year, we will consider this as one credit per year. For instance, if you held the same role in a production for two years, this would count as two credits.
For Stage Managers:
- Each production which you have worked on in a paid capacity counts as one credit.
Can the ABF help students?
We are not able to support full-time students. If an actor is unable to work due to a life event/Injury, Illness or Old Age, studying part-time while continuing to work in the industry, and they meet the (career criteria) above, we can consider support. If you are studying part-time while working in acting or stage management please contact us to discuss your situation.
What can the ABF help with?
The ABF can consider financial assistance if you are unable to work due to injury, illness, old age, or major life events such as a recent bereavement. We may also be able to help with the cost of treatment to support you back to work, and other one off items. Please contact us to discuss your situation further, and we can look at how we might be able to support you.
We can offer advice on which benefits you may be eligible for, to ensure you are receiving all the support you are entitled to. We can also assist the partners of actors or stage managers who have recently passed away.
Please be aware that the support we offer is on a case-by-case basis; we'll keep in contact with you to make sure that what we offer you is suitable for your circumstances.
Can the ABF help me with my care home fees?
In some instances we can consider assistance with care home fees, please contact us to discuss how we might be able to support you.
How can I apply?
We find it helpful to speak to or email potential applicants at the start of the process, to ensure we understand you, your situation, and whether we are best placed to support. You can contact us via the online form here. Or contact us to discuss making an application.
When will I hear about the outcome of my application?
We endeavour to get back to you with a decision as soon as we can, usually within 10 working days of receiving a completed application. During busy periods it may take slightly longer, but we will always keep you up to date on when you can expect to hear back from us.
What happens if I need emergency help?
We are not an emergency or crisis support service. In an emergency, it is likely that other services will be best placed to support you:
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call 999 or present at your nearest A&E. Whatever you’re going through, you can call Samaritans for free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123.
If you do not have any money for food, you can find your local foodbank on the Trussell Trust website.
If you are an actor or stage manager and want support or advice, please contact us on 020 7836 6378, or email office@abf.org.uk. If we are not able to assist you, we will always do our best to point you in the direction of other sources of support.
Is my application confidential?
Yes - all applications are confidential. Personal information is only shared with staff in order to make decisions on, or provide support. We are able to approach other theatrical charities on your behalf, but will only do so with your express permission.
Do I need to send any other information?
As part of your application, we ask you to send us:
- A completed application form;
- Bank statements covering at least the last months from your main account(s). This means any accounts that you make rent/mortgage, utility bills and council tax from, and that income from work and/or benefits payments are made into.
- A fit note or recent letter from your doctor or medical professional. We only need a medical letter if you are applying due to injury or illness; if you are applying due to old age, there is no need to include this. If your GP or clinician charges for the letter, we can reimburse you any reasonable fee. Please send in a copy of the receipt and details of how to pay you. We will reimburse you for this cost whether or not your application is successful.
- Your Spotlight PIN. If you don't have a Spotlight PIN, please send in a copy of your CV. If you don't have a Spotlight PIN, please send in a copy of your CV.
- If you are in receipt of benefits, we will ask for documentation showing this (for instance, a Universal Credit statement).
Do you offer cost-of-living grants?
Applications for our cost-of-living grants have now closed. Having provided these since 2022, we have taken the decision to focus our resources on supporting actors and stage managers who are unable to work due to illness, injury and old age.