About Us

The Staff Welfare Fund makes one-off cash grants to both current and retired TfL (Transport for London) staff who find themselves in short-term need, hardship or distress. It is run by the Transport Benevolent Fund (TBF). 

The original funding was provided by Transport for London. The level of benefits available is largely determined by investment returns.

SWF may help someone if they:

• Are receiving a pension from the TfL Pension Fund
• Are employed by TfL or any of its subsidiaries
• Certain staff of other employers (where they have a contractual right to be in the TfL Pension Fund)
• Are an ex-employee who left service due to age, ill-health or redundancy, but not other deferred pensioners
• Dependants who are drawing benefits from TfL Pension Fund

All grants are made at the discretion of the TBF trustees.

There is no maximum grant, but TBF has to ensure that the available money is distributed fairly.

At the discretion of the TBF trustees, loans may be granted to active staff, for repayment through the payroll. They are not available to pensioners.

SWF can't help with nursing or care home fees because this would be longer-term help. It can only provide one-off help to relieve short-term need, hardship or distress.

You can still apply to SWF if you weren't in TBF but it's important to remember that it does not provide identical benefits to TBF and funding is dependent on investment performance.