UNISON Welfare

There For You

Members experiencing financial and emotional difficulties can contact UNISON Welfare, which provides confidential advice and support services for members and their dependants. Services include:

• Energy Support Fund

• Financial assistance

• Budget planner

• Benefits calculator

• Wellbeing breaks

• General advice

• Help with debt

• Credit unions

Branch local welfare fund

The Oxford Brookes University branch has a local welfare fund, which we can use to send a gift to a member at times of illness.

The branch will send a gift to a member under the following circumstances:

• If any member is off work for two or more weeks, due to illness or a period in hospital.

• If a member experiences the loss of a loved one in their immediate family (partner, parent, child)

The branch may also send a gift under the following circumstances, if considered appropriate:

• If a member is off ill for three months or more, a second gift may be sent

• If a member dies, a wreath/donation may be sent

• If a member has a baby

The gift can be:

• a bunch of flowers

• a book token

• other presents as deemed appropriate.

In order for a gift to be sent, the branch Welfare Officer must be informed of the name, address and preference of the member concerned.

If the Welfare Officer is not informed until after the illness is over or, for example, more than a month after the event, they may decide it is no longer appropriate for the branch to send a gift.

Your Welfare Officer

Rafal Klos is the branch's Welfare Officer, here to help signpost you to appropriate support. You are welcome to contact him on rklos [at] brookes.ac.uk.