Apartment Updates

The Benevolent Fund operates 28 cottages and apartments at 2 sites in Northern Ireland.

These allow us to annually offer around 1100 one-week respite breaks to eligible applicants.

We know that these apartments are extremely busy and there is exceptional demand for these facilities.

We have listened to feedback from you and have reviewed our allocation processes slightly. We believe that these changes will broaden access to the cottages and apartments.  In particular we hope that the changes will increase broader availability during the summer and assist those who have not had a break previously.

The full policy can be found here>

The main points are as follows;

PART A – Eligibility for use of the apartments

  1. Widows. Widows of members who died in service for whatever reason from 1969 to date. Widows of ex members who died within one year and one day of medical retirement from 1969 to date.
  2. Widows with dependant children. As above whose children are aged 19 years and under and are still in education.
  3. All others. The balance of all other persons advised by the Fund of their entitlement to apply for apartment places namely pensioner’s, pensioner’s widows, parents of deceased single officers, members who were medically retired (Injury on Duty) and whose pensions are extinguished by State Benefits and members of the Full Time RUC ‘R’ and Part Time RUC ‘R’ who have retired on age limit or been medically retired. In the event of their death, their widow will be eligible.

PART B – Booking arrangements

  1. An eligible person may make a maximum of 2 bookings in any calendar year;
  2. All eligible persons will only be allowed one high season holiday in a calendar year;
  3. Category 2 and 3 will not be allowed a high season holiday in consecutive years. High season is June – August;
  4. Category 1 may make an advanced booking for one holiday per year, all other categories may only make an advance booking if they have not availed of a holiday the previous year;
  5. An advance booking is now 6 months in advance (this was previously 5 months in advance);
  6. A standard booking can now be made up to 4 weeks in advance (this was previously 2 weeks in advance)

Finally, is it important to thank those who were able to support the Benevolent Fund in operating these respite breaks. It costs more than several hundred pounds per apartment per week running these apartments and we greatly appreciate those who donate towards these costs.

Regards

George Clarke

Chief Executive

Benevolent Fund