The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Trust's support is aimed at people connected with the grocery, pharmacy and commercial travelling trades, so a request fits best where the applicant or household has that link.
- A modest request suits it: its stated programme ranges are £150 to £450 for the Pharmacy School Essentials Grant, £500 to £3,000 for undergraduate bursaries, £1,000 to £5,000 for postgraduate bursaries and £1,000 for vocational bursaries, although the annual report shows £3,000,000 awarded in total and no overall grant range is stated.
- Timing matters: the Vocational Bursaries close on 15 November at 5pm, the Postgraduate Bursaries on 1 September, and the undergraduate rounds on 15 October and 1 March, while the Pharmacy School Essentials Grant opens on 2 June with no closing date given.
- Individual bursary applicants use the Trust's online system, and the Pharmacy School Essentials Grant is applied for through a GroceryAid form; an organisation seeking money for its own project should note that the published programmes are for individuals.
- Do not apply for study that has already been completed in earlier years, or if the applicant has no connection to these trades; nothing published says how competitive the awards are, so treat the approach as untested.
Overview
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1159171).
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust exists to provide benefits for charities, or to further any charitable purpose, connected with commercial travellers, grocers or chemists and their dependents, as its trustees direct. It offers bursaries for undergraduate and postgraduate university study, and Vocational Bursaries for students on college-based vocational courses. It also runs a School Essentials Grant that helps families with the cost of essential school-related expenses for primary and secondary students. The annual report records £3,000,000 awarded.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Trust supports the education of people connected with the commercial travelling, grocery and pharmacy trades and their dependants. It describes help for families of grocers and pharmacists across school, college and university, while its individual bursaries also include commercial travellers. Its programmes cover school essentials, college-based vocational courses, and undergraduate and postgraduate study, with help aimed at reducing financial barriers and supporting practical skills and qualifications. Its charitable objects also allow it to support charities or further charitable purposes connected with these trades. It provides institutional education support through a partnership. Support can contribute to tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses, study materials and other reasonable education-related costs.
Themes
- School essentials
- Vocational study
- Undergraduate study
- Postgraduate study
Geographic Focus
UK.
What they don't fund
- Grants for undergraduate study only: grants for previous years of study that you have already completed
- Grants for postgraduate study only: grants for previous years of study that you have already completed
- Vocational Bursaries only: bursaries for previous years of study that you have already completed
How to apply
Individual bursary applicants use the Trust’s online application system. The Pharmacy School Essentials Grant is applied for through a form managed by GroceryAid.
Application windows:
- Vocational Bursaries: Opens on 1 June, closes on 15 November 5pm
- Postgraduate Bursaries: Opens on 1 June, closes on 1 September
- Undergraduate October round: Opens on 1 August, closes on 15 October
- Undergraduate March round: Opens on 1 January, closes on 1 March
- Pharmacy School Essentials Grant: Opens on 2 June
Who can apply:
- Vocational Bursaries: A student aged 16 and above (adults are eligible); Resident in the UK; The child (including stepchild/under the care of), spouse (including widow), or those themselves who work: In the Grocery Industry; In a Community Pharmacy or as a registered Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician; As a Commercial Traveller; Be currently employed and have worked in this capacity for at least two years.
What to send:
- Pharmacy School Essentials Grant
- A current payslip that clearly shows your name, employer name and NI number
- Your current Universal Credit statement showing the payment amount, full breakdown (including child element) and your name and address, dated April / May
Applying again: Undergraduate bursaries: No, we expect to continue awarding you a grant for as long as your undergraduate degree continues, provided that: you continue to study full-time, at the same university, on the same course; your university confirms that your academic performance is satisfactory each year; you progress on to the next year of your course when expected; there is no significant change in your financial situation.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- GroceryAid - Schools Essentials Grant£3,000,000year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £3,008,000 | £2,628,000 | £280,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £2,965,000 | £2,700,000 | £1,116,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £3,064,000 | £4,633,000 | £2,767,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £2,305,000 | £2,774,000 | £1,000,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £3,063,000 | £5,391,000 | £3,000,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/about-trust/what-we-do · read on 30 October 2026
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/grants-undergraduate-study · read on 30 October 2026
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/pharmacy-school-essentials-grant · read on 30 October 2026
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/grants-postgraduate-study · read on 30 October 2026
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/vocational-bursaries · read on 30 October 2026
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/faqs · read on 30 October 2026
- leverhulme-trade.org.uk/contact-details · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Applying to The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required