You never know what life is going to throw at you or what might be around the corner. But whatever happens, we want you to know we are here for you when you need it the most.

ABTA LifeLine, ABTA’s charity, provides support to you, your partner and your family when you need it most. Whether it is replacing those essential household items, providing help after a relationship breakdown, a disability/medical condition or you are just simply struggling to make ends meet – you can turn to us. 

Below is a list of the main things ABTA LifeLine may be able to help you with. The list is not exhaustive. Our support is flexible and tailored to best help you and your family. However, we do expect you to seek state help where it is available before approaching the charity for support.

You will be required to submit an online application form along with supporting documents to demonstrate you are in financial hardship.

Emergency support

If you are struggling to provide food for your family, we can help you with a voucher to spend on essential groceries and household items (not tobacco, alcohol or lottery tickets).

You can also speak to your GP, social worker, health visitor or Citizens Advice who can give you a voucher to visit your local Trussell Trust food bank.

Crisis grants

We may be able to help with crisis grants to help for a short time with rent, mortgage, council tax and utility bills; your priority bills. We pay suppliers direct on your behalf.

We cannot help with non-priority debt such as credit and store cards, payday loans etc.

Benefit, Budgeting and Housing Advice

With your consent we can refer you to our partner Citizens Advice (Manchester - CAM). CAM can provide you with expert advice on debt, benefits, housing and budgeting at no cost to you. They will work with you (over the telephone) to see what the options are to manage your situation including help with your creditors and in some cases take on benefit appeals. CAM will send a 'care' letter with possible options on how to manage your situation. To consider helping you further we will require you to share with us the advice that has been given so that we can determine with CAM the best way we might support you.

This advice is non-judgemental, confidential and will not affect your credit rating.

Funeral costs

If you have not been able to secure State help with the costs of a funeral, in exceptional circumstances we can help with the basic costs of a funeral (excludes cars, flowers etc.).

Essential household appliances

We can help with the replacement of essential white goods including washing machines, fridge freezers and ovens. In some cases, we can also help with the cost of essential furnishings if you have been recently moved into housing. This includes a bed, pots and pans, flooring etc.

Support for your children

We can help with school uniform and equipment, including IT and other essential needs.

Counselling and wellbeing support

We see at first hand some of the pressures some of our travel community are facing. We are very much aware of the impact on mental health caused by:

• Financial stress – lack of funds, debt, benefit support
• Redundancy – lack of self-esteem and confidence, worry about paying the bills
• Relationship break down
• Single parenting – juggling life, insecurity when some or all of your main income has been lost
• Stress at work
• Sick children
• Isolation and feeling lonely
• Domestic abuse
• Bereavement

But of course there are many other reasons you may be feeling anxious or alone and in need of some support.

ABTA LifeLine has teamed up with The Centre for Crisis Psychology (CCP) to provide you with mental health and wellbeing support; intervention when it really matters.

CCP have extensive experience of working in the travel industry. Not only do they help with trauma care (assisted travel colleagues following the terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Barcelona and the Manchester bombings among other events) they also provide private and confidential counselling to support a range of mental health issues. So whatever mental health support you need, their experienced team will be able to help you. For more information about CCP and what they do, please visit their website.

Eligible applicants will have direct telephone access to clinicians, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support them. 


Please see our mental health page for support with your wellbeing.