The Rifles Benevolent Trust
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.
Key takeaways
- The Trust's help goes to serving and former members of The Rifles and their spouses, partners, widows and dependants, so a small nonprofit whose work does not reach that group should not apply.
- It accepts requests by invitation only and does not take unsolicited ones, and requests are normally routed through SSAFA or The Royal British Legion using SSAFA's MOSAIC system to reach RHQ, so anyone you work with who may qualify is best referred to one of those bodies rather than approached directly.
- Applicants need at least 12 months' Regular service or 24 months' Reserve service, plus genuine hardship that was not brought about by their own design, and the Trust does not fund relief that duplicates state benefit.
- Typical grants in the annual report fall between £2,250 and £79,000, with a median of about £23,000, but the largest was about £295,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
Overview
The Rifles Benevolent Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1119071).
The Rifles Benevolent Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (charity number 1119071) that exists to relieve serving or former members of The Rifles, or of its forming regiments, and their dependants who are in need through financial hardship, sickness or old age. Its day-to-day work is providing grants to those in need, and it also gives weekly pensions to the very old or sick and education and training assistance. Its AARP has a global reach, helping Riflemen in America, Canada, Australia, Europe, Hong Kong and beyond. Annual giving was £484,845 in the year covered by the annual report.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Trust's assistance is directed to serving and former members of The Rifles and their spouses, partners, widows and other dependants who need help. It provides grants for disability adaptations, mobility equipment, rent, priority debts, clothing and household necessities. It also provides weekly pensions for very old or sick people, and education and training assistance when a welfare agency identifies a need for retraining because of disability or long-term unemployment. Its published terms require genuine hardship arising from circumstances rather than the individual's own design. The published assistance is described in relation to individuals connected with the Regiment and their personal welfare needs.
Themes
- Disability adaptations
- Mobility equipment
- Rent
- Priority debts
- Clothing and household necessities
- Weekly pensions
- Education and training
Geographic Focus
Worldwide.
What they don't fund
- Assistance to individuals who have not served for a minimum of 12 months as a Regular or 24 months as a Reservist
- Assistance where there is no genuine hardship brought about through circumstances and not by the individual’s own design
- Relief that duplicates state benefit
How to apply
Requests are normally routed through SSAFA or The Royal British Legion, using SSAFA’s MOSAIC case-management system to reach RHQ.
Who can apply:
- Regular Service: the officer/soldier must have served for a minimum of 12 months, including basic training. Reserve Service: the officer/soldier must have served for a minimum of 24 months and passed all basic training.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- International
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Rifles Benevolent Trust.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 12 grants in year to 31 December 2025 by size
Median £23,114 (year to 31 December 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- RHQ£296,944year to 31 December 2025
- Battalions£79,000year to 31 December 2025
- Battalions£79,000year to 31 December 2025
- ABF£70,000year to 31 December 2025
- ABF£70,000year to 31 December 2025
- Maragaret Phillips Legacy Fund£23,114year to 31 December 2025
- Maragaret Phillips Legacy Fund£23,114year to 31 December 2025
- Joanne Booth-Mason Memorial fund£10,200year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 1 with no named recipient.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £946,688 | £691,220 | £60,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £1,152,730 | £1,009,344 | £60,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £918,672 | £939,237 | £125,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £1,036,799 | £894,599 | £135,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £1,030,869 | £926,769 | £484,845 | 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 paid out in the year.
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
- theriflesnetwork.co.uk/page/privacy-policy-swift · read on 30 October 2026
- theriflesnetwork.co.uk · read on 30 October 2026
- theriflesnetwork.co.uk/page/welfare-support · read on 30 October 2026
- theriflesnetwork.co.uk/page/contact · 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 Rifles Benevolent Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01962 828523source
- 07484 947751source
- 03311 433065source
- benevolence@the-rifles.co.uksource
- admin@the-rifles.co.uksource
- RHQ THE RIFLES, PENINSULA BARRACKS, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO23 8TPsource
- theriflesnetwork.co.uk/page/welfare-support
Applying to The Rifles Benevolent Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 01962 828523source
- 07484 947751source
- 03311 433065source
- benevolence@the-rifles.co.uksource
- admin@the-rifles.co.uksource
- RHQ THE RIFLES, PENINSULA BARRACKS, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO23 8TPsource
- theriflesnetwork.co.uk/page/welfare-support