Financial help for doctors and their families

Who is eligible for support?

You must be GMC registered, have little in the way of income and savings and be unable to support yourself financially due to illness, disability, bereavement or because you are over state retirement age.

More information about eligibility can be found at the bottom of this page.

If you are a refugee doctor retraining to practise medicine in the UK, we may be able to help with a one-off award. We can also direct you to other organisations that may be able to help. Find out more here.

Find the right support for you

Use the interactive tool below to find out whether you might be eligible for support, and how to access the right support for you.

Or contact the Casework Department at [email protected] to discuss your situation further.

QUESTION 1: Do you hold current GMC registration?

Explainer video

This short video explains the process of applying for financial support from the RMBF. You can turn subtitles on or off by using the “CC” button on the YouTube player. If you’re having trouble watching the embedded video, try watching it on the YouTube site.

More information about eligibility

You must be GMC registered, have little in the way of income and savings and be unable to support yourself financially due to illness, disability, bereavement or because you are over state retirement age.

What we provide

  • Monthly grants to help with essential day-to-day living costs
  • Back-to-work awards, if you are returning to work after a period of illness
  • Help with purchasing specialist equipment
  • Help with purchasing disability adaptations for your car or home

If you are eligible for financial support, we may also be able to provide other types of help depending on your circumstances, including:

  • Money and debt management advice
  • Telephone befriending, if you are isolated and in need of support

What we don’t provide

The RMBF does not provide financial support towards the cost of certain items, including:

  • Private health care and treatment
  • Private education
  • Legal fees
  • Inland Revenue payments
  • Repaying loans from family and friends

Family members

We cannot provide support for all family members of doctors, only their direct dependants. This usually means financially dependent children, spouses or partners of doctors.

Other types of help

If you are not eligible for direct financial support, we offer access to general advice & support articles, and links to other organisations: