How to Access / Means-testing & payment / How to Donate / Sources of support / FAQ’s

Our furniture service provides low-cost essential furniture items to families and individuals living in Leicester City who have a genuine need. We work on a referral basis, accepting referrals from a limited number of referral partners.

Referred eligible clients are invited to appointments where they have access to our catalogue of reduced cost furniture items. Donated items that we can provide include beds, sofas, armchairs, chest of drawers, dining tables and chairs, fridges, freezers, and microwaves.

Our furniture referral partners

Our furniture service is open to a limited number of referral partners. This is to allow us to support those most in need of our support, whilst also ensuring that we can provide furniture in a timely and efficient way.

Please contact us for more information if you would like to become one of our referral partners.

To access the furniture project

Referral partners can refer households who meet the following criteria:

• They have commenced a new tenancy within the past three months.
• They are in genuine need of furniture items with restricted or no financial means to purchase essential items of furniture at retail price.
• They do not currently have functional furniture items that are being requesting (e.g. we will not provide a sofa to a household who already has one).
• They are unable to access furniture by other means including applying for any statutory grants that they are eligible for (see below for other sources of support).

Referrers can complete a furniture referral form which asks for details about the household, their circumstances and the support that they require. Once we have received this completed form, we will contact the referrer to let them know if we are able to support the household, and arrange an appointment directly with the client.

Access to the delivery address should be considered when choosing furniture items to ensure that a delivery is possible. Every client will be required to agree and sign a copy of the charity’s policy before a delivery is arranged. Please take the time to read our furniture policies before accessing our service: Client Furniture Policy / Support Worker Furniture Policy

A referral form allows an individual to access our service for 3 months whilst they are still in need. If an individual’s details or situation changes during this period we kindly ask that a new referral form is completed  to enable us to update our database appropriately.

Please note that as we rely on donations, we cannot guarantee that all requested items will be available. We are also not able to provide items to furnished properties including National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation.

Means-testing & payment

Open Hands receives no statutory funding and by default, furniture items are offered on a low cost basis. Our prices are always significantly less that retail (please see below for price estimates). Any funds received go directly towards the running of the furniture service.

Beds (incl. mattress)	£10 – £70
Chest of drawers	£5 – £40
Sofas	£15 – £45
Dining tables and chairs (sets)	£15 – £50
Fridges/freezers	£45 – £70
Microwaves	£10 – £20

If you believe that your client is unable to pay towards their items, then please complete the means testing page on our referral form which will allow us to complete an assessment to see whether we are able to provide items for free. If there are any circumstances which may impact your clients ability to contribute towards their items then please include these on the referral form.

Donating furniture?

For information on furniture donations please see our furniture donation page.

Other sources of support with furniture items

Leicester City Council funding	Community Support Grant scheme
Other Leicester charities	Work Link Hinckley  Charity Link  Vicar’s relief fund
Charity shops and second-hand shops	LOROS   The British Heart Foundation  Age UK  The Air Ambulance  Sue Ryder  The Second-Hand Furniture Warehouse
White good provision via utility providers	EDF
Purchase through a social fund loan / affordable credit	See examples from EndFurniturePoverty.org here And the guide here
Charitable grants	Lightning Reach Portal grant finder Turn2Us  grant search tool Glasspool Trust Buttle UK Family Fund

FAQ’s

Question: How long is the waiting list for furniture help?
Answer: We aim to process urgent referrals and deliver items within 3 weeks, less urgent referrals may be required to wait for longer. It does however depends on the urgency of the request, our stock levels, volunteer availability and how many referrals we have received.

Question: Are you able to deliver my client’s furniture items?
Answer: Open Hands will deliver any items of furniture that it provides, however there may be a short wait for this service. Clients are also able to collect their own items from our compassion centre if they have the means to do this.

Question: Will my client receive all of the items that I have requested?
Answer: Open Hands relies on donations to be able to support households with furniture items. We will aim to provide your client with all of the items that you have requested, however there will be times where this isn’t possible. We provide feedback to a referrer following an appointment to let them know which items we have been able to provide.

Question: What happens if my client misses their appointment?
Answer: Should an appointment be missed by your client with no suitable reason given prior to the appointment time, they will move the end of the waiting list before another appointment is arranged. We will offer two appointments, if neither of these appointments are attended with no suitable reason given then a new referral form will be required.

Question: What does a referral cover?
Answer: A referral form only covers the need specified on the submitted form (up to 5 items). These are the only items that will be able to be discussed at an appointment.

Question: How long is a referral valid for?
Answer: A referral form is valid for 3 months. After this time, if the need has not been met or if a new area of need is ascertained, a new referral will need to be submitted.

Question: How can my client pay for their furniture items?
Answer: Payments must be made using cash or card at the time of the appointment.

Question: Is it possible to set up a payment plan?
Answer: Unfortunately, Open Hands do not have the resources to support this activity at this time. If you are able to provide this service as a referring organisation we support it.

Question: Can items be reserved for purchase at a future date?
Answer: Open Hands do not have the resources to support this activity at this time, please read our support worker furniture policy.