Express & Star

‘Under a third’ of funds raised reaches those hit by Grenfell Tower fire

Almost half of the £19,018,782 gathered by fundraisers has been sent to distributing organisations.

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Grenfell Tower

Less than a third of the money raised for those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire has reached their pockets, new data shows.

Almost half of the £19,018,782 gathered by fundraisers has been sent to distributing organisations, the Charity Commission said.

Of this, £5,822,500 has reached survivors, bereaved families and those displaced from their homes more than two months after the devastating blaze, which killed at least 80 people.

Grenfell Tower donations
Donations flooded in after the Grenfell Tower blaze (David Mirzoeff/PA(

The figure is up from £2.8 million a week ago, showing a huge acceleration in the distribution of funds.

David Holdsworth, registrar of charities in England and Wales, said: “We are pleased that a further £3 million has reached survivors and those affected by this terrible tragedy in the last week, and that further funds will be distributed in the coming days.

“Some challenges still remain but it is important that the charities continue to work with the community and that the remaining funds are made available to meet their short, medium and longer term needs.”

Grenfell Tower
At least 80 people died in Grenfell Tower (Rick Findler/PA)

Next-of-kin of those missing or dead, people who required hospital treatment and every household of Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk are some of those entitled to set payments.

The biggest sums sent to be distributed are from the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund (£3,910,000), and the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation (£2,520,000).

Only two smaller donors – Goldsmiths Company and Turn2us – have made the entirety of their raised cash available to distributors.

It comes as the public inquiry into the disaster revealed that survivors, residents of the tower and families of those who had died can be core participants in the probe.

The inquiry said applications, including from other groups and individuals, must be made in writing by September 8.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick
Sir Martin Moore-Bick is leading the Grenfell Tower fire public inquiry (Philip Toscano/PA)

Chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick “is willing” to grant the status to survivors, residents and “the families of those that died or those who were injured and as a result are unable to participate in the inquiry”.

Core participants may receive disclosure of evidence which the chairman considers relevant to that individual or group ahead of hearings.

They may also make opening and closing statements at certain hearings and suggest lines of questioning, while their legal representative may apply to ask questions of witnesses.

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