Every year, thousands of people work in insurance without ever knowing that there is a charity dedicated entirely to supporting them. Not a general hardship fund, not a trade association benefit: an independent, registered charity whose sole purpose is to be there for current and former insurance professionals and their families when life becomes difficult.
This week, 22 to 26 June, is Insurance Charity Awareness Week (ICAW), and at BLW, we’re proud to support it. We also wanted to use this moment to do something more than share a hashtag: to explain what The Insurance Charity does, who it helps, and why we think it matters.
What is The Insurance Charity?
The Insurance Charity is the only charity in the UK and Ireland dedicated solely to supporting people in the insurance industry. It offers free, confidential financial support and practical guidance to anyone experiencing hardship, whether they’re currently working in insurance, have retired, or have moved into a different career entirely.
In the 2025/2026 financial year, the Charity awarded almost £700,000 in support to individuals and families. That money helped cover day-to-day essentials like rent, mortgage payments, food and energy bills. It paid for counselling, specialist therapies and assessments. It funded disability aids, property repairs, furniture, household appliances and, in some cases, funeral expenses. These aren’t abstract categories: they represent moments of real pressure in real people’s lives, and the Charity stepped in to help.
Real Stories
The best way to understand what the Charity does is to hear from the people it has helped.
Katy has worked in insurance since the age of 18. In late 2024, just a week after getting the keys to her first home, she was diagnosed with high-grade invasive breast cancer and told she would need five months of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. Worried about keeping up with her mortgage payments after reducing her hours, she reached out to The Insurance Charity, initially doubting she would qualify.
“I had my reservations because I’d never heard of them, and I thought if a well-known charity like Macmillan couldn’t help me, surely a charity I’ve never heard of wouldn’t be able to. I could never have been more wrong. The financial support I’ve had has been life changing. My only regret is that I didn’t contact them sooner.”
The Charity provided a monthly payment to cover Katy’s essential living costs throughout her treatment, removing the pressure to work when she was feeling unwell.
Kayleigh has worked in insurance for eleven years. When her youngest son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, she had to move to part-time work to care for him and fund private speech and language therapy sessions while waiting for NHS support. The financial strain was significant and growing.
“We did feel a huge sense of shame in contacting the Charity. We have both always worked hard and been able to support ourselves and our family, so to suddenly be in the position we were in felt awful.”
The Charity assessed the family’s situation and provided a support package that cleared their credit card debt, covered ongoing therapy costs, contributed to monthly living expenses and funded a specialist iPad and assistive communication technology recommended by Kayleigh’s son’s therapist.
“Without the support from The Insurance Charity, our family would not be in the position it is in now, quite simply. We will be forever grateful.”
Both Katy’s and Kayleigh’s names have been changed for confidentiality. You can read more stories at theinsurancecharity.org.uk/stories/
Who is eligible?
This is where many people are surprised. Eligibility is much broader than most people assume.
You don’t need to have worked in a specifically insurance-facing role. Whether you were an underwriter, a broker, a claims handler, or whether you worked in IT, marketing, HR or any other function within an insurance business, you can apply for support. You don’t need to have worked in the industry for a minimum length of time, and you don’t need to be a member of any professional body or trade association.
Crucially, you don’t need to still be working in the industry. People who have retired or moved on to other careers remain eligible. The Charity can also support dependants, including partners and children, of eligible individuals.
There is one thing worth saying clearly: you don’t need to be in crisis to reach out. The Charity is there to help people navigate difficult circumstances, and an early conversation is often far more useful than waiting until things feel unmanageable.
Common misconceptions about The Insurance Charity
A few things people often get wrong, and the reality:
“I don’t qualify because I haven’t worked in insurance long enough.” Not true. Applicants can have spent any length of time in the industry.
“I don’t qualify because I wasn’t in an insurance-specific role.” Not true. The Charity supports people who work in any function within an insurance business, including IT, marketing, HR and beyond.
“I need to be a member of a professional body to apply.” Not true. There is no requirement to belong to any professional body or trade association.
“My employer will be told if I apply.” Not true. All applications are dealt with in confidence, and the Charity liaises directly with applicants. Employers are not involved in or informed of the process.
“I need to be in a serious crisis before I can get in touch.” Not true. People don’t need to be at breaking point to reach out. There are many ways the Charity can help, and earlier contact is often better.
“The Charity only helps people who are currently working.” Not true. Both working and non-working people can apply, including those who are retired or have left the industry.
“It will cost my employer something to point staff towards the Charity.” Not true. Employers don’t need to pay anything or sign up to any formal partnership. It is entirely free to signpost employees to the Charity.
“Only the insurance professionals themselves can apply.” Not true. Dependents, including partners and children, of eligible insurance people can also be supported.
Why we’re supporting Awareness Week at BLW
We care about the well-being of our people, and that extends beyond what we can offer internally. The Insurance Charity represents something important: the industry looking after its own, quietly and without fuss.
One of the things that makes it particularly valuable as a resource is how it sits alongside, rather than replacing, any support an employer already provides. There’s nothing to sign up to, no cost to employers, and the Charity deals directly and confidentially with any individuals who reach out. It’s a trusted partner that can complement what we do, and we want to make sure everyone at BLW knows it exists.
What you can do
If you’re reading this and work in insurance, or have done so in the past, please save the details below. And if you know someone in your network who might be struggling, please pass this on. The Charity’s whole challenge is reaching the people who need it, and word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways to do so.
📞 020 7606 3763 (UK) | 1800 812 933 (ROI)
🌐 theinsurancecharity.org.uk
💼 Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-insurance-charity
This week is about awareness, not fundraising. The best thing any of us can do is simply make sure the people around us know this charity exists, because for someone somewhere, that knowledge might arrive at exactly the right moment.