Abta LifeLine secures £20,000 from Martin Lewis Covid-19 fund

Director Trudie Clements confirmed the award to TTG on Tuesday (7 April) after getting the go-ahead late last week.

Clements said the money would be used to support those in the travel sector experiencing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

It will fund food vouchers for those in immediate need; help travel professionals access financial management advice on debt, budgeting and benefits through LifeLine partner Citizens Advice Manchester; and help them access mental health support through another LifeLine partner, The Centre for Crisis Psychology.

After discussing the grant with trustees, Clements said LifeLine would prioritise those working, or who have worked, for Abta members, that:

• have been made redundant;
• are recently self-employed and as a result cannot benefit from the government’s self-employment income support scheme;
• or are self-employed but can’t claim from the self-employment income support scheme until June