What Rainy Day Trust does

Rainy Day Trust is a UK-registered charity (registered number 1170878) operating as the only organization dedicated solely to providing financial assistance and support services to past and present employees of the UK home improvement and enhancement industry, along with their families. Founded in 1843 and headquartered in Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, the charity serves retirees and workers from DIY retail, builders merchants, hardware, housewares, pottery, glass, and garden products sectors who are facing financial hardship due to redundancy, illness, accidents, or retirement. Its service portfolio centers on one-off grants and modest annual awards covering essential household items (cookers, beds, TVs), house repairs, care home top-up fees, training, and travel expenses, supplemented by e-learning modules (delivered in partnership with Charis Grants), telephone counselling, a planned Legal Express consultation service, and apprenticeship support—though the latter is currently suspended due to high application volume.

The charity is supported by a network of over 100 industry partners including major brands such as Homebase, Le Creuset, Crown Paints, AkzoNobel, and Joseph Joseph, alongside trade associations like BHETA, BIRA, and BMF. Its revenue model combines voluntary donations from individuals, corporate partnership fees starting at £1,000 per year, a weekly lottery offering prizes up to £25,000, and fundraising events such as sponsored runs and challenge events. The organization reaches beneficiaries through a helpline (0800 9154627), its website, and referrals from corporate partners and trade associations, with a benefits calculator partnership with entitledto.co.uk that reportedly identifies over £615,000 in benefit entitlements per week. The organization is lean, operating with approximately 9 staff, and is currently in a leadership transition following the September 2025 appointment of Anna Skeats as CEO after the retirement of Bryan Clover.

Name

Rainy Day Trust

Legal name

The Rainy Day Trust

Website

https://rainydaytrust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rainy Day Trust is a UK-registered charity providing grants, counselling, and support services exclusively to past and present employees of the UK home improvement industry and their families facing financial hardship. It operates with 9 staff from Stoke Prior, funded by donations, corporate partnerships, and a weekly lottery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Welfare Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Charitable financial assistance
• Home improvement industry support
• Employee welfare grants
• Benefits entitlement calculator
• Workforce hardship charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Stoke Prior

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The charity relies on voluntary donations from individuals, corporate partners, and supporters. Fundraising events include runs, walks, challenges, and the weekly lottery.
2. Corporate Partnership Fees: Partnerships with companies in the home improvement industry start at an annual fee of £1,000, providing PR and media support packages to partners.
3. Lottery Revenue: Weekly lottery with prizes up to £25,000, providing entertainment value to participants while generating funds for the charity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rainy Day Trust is a UK-registered charity that provides financial assistance and support services to current and former employees of the home improvement and enhancement industry who are facing financial hardship. Its core offerings include one-off grants and modest annual awards (covering items such as cookers, beds, house repairs, care home top-up fees, training and travel expenses), telephone counselling, an e-learning programme delivered with Charis Grants, a planned Legal Express consultation service, apprenticeship support, a free benefits entitlement calculator hosted via entitledto.co.uk, and a weekly lottery used for fundraising.

Product overview

Rainy Day Trust operates as a single-service charity focused on supporting past and present employees of the UK home improvement industry. The organization provides a portfolio of assistance services centered around financial grants and support, including one-off grants and annual awards, e-learning programs for skills development (partnered with Charis Grants), telephone counselling, and a planned Legal Express service. Additional support offerings include apprenticeship assistance, a benefits calculator tool, and a weekly lottery fundraising initiative. The services are designed to help individuals facing financial hardship, redundancy, illness, or other difficult circumstances within the home improvement sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Helpline available 5 days a week, 9am to 5pm for confidential support

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

50 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Wellbeing PeopleflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch Mad March Million, a sector-wide movement challenge encouraging people to reach one million steps in March. This is a major 2026 initiative for the charity.
• HomebasecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor UK DIY retailer and long-standing supporter of the charity, helping to reach employees in the home improvement retail sector.
• Le CreusetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium cookware brand and supporter of the charity.
• Crown PaintscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor UK paint manufacturer supporting the charity.
• Joseph JosephcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovative kitchenware brand supporting the charity.
• BHEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilding and home improvement industry partner.
• Captivate BrandsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partner supporting the charity.
• CroydexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBathroom accessories brand supporting the charity.
• DeccominorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome improvement industry partner.
• DexamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHousewares brand supporting the charity.
• HorwoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKitchen appliances brand supporting the charity.
• iha (International Housewares Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association supporting the charity.
• Kellaway Building SuppliescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilders merchant supporting the charity.
• HarrisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome improvement industry partner.
• PalladiumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner.
• SIGcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialist industrial products company and supporter.
• TimcominorGTM or Marketing PartnerConstruction industry partner.
• WhamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlastic homewares brand supporting the charity.
• AddisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHousewares brand supporting the charity.
• AkzoNobelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor global paints and coatings company supporting the charity.
• BarrettineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWood care and maintenance products brand.
• BHETA (British Home Enhancement Trade Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry trade association for home enhancement.
• BIRA (British Independent Retailers Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade association for independent retailers.
• BMF (Building Materials Federation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade association for building materials suppliers.
• BrookesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner.
• BurgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational hardware brand.
• CenturionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHardware and door hardware specialist.
• DKBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKitchen and housewares brand.
• DRHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome products supplier.
• EnconminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsulation and construction materials distributor.
• Exclusively HousewaresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association for housewares.
• Frank KeycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTools and fixings supplier.
• Gorilla GlueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdhesive brand supporting the charity.
• Harts of SturminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCookshop retailer.
• Holbury HardwareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHardware supplier.
• Home HardwareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHardware retailer.
• KitchencraftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKitchenware brand.
• MDA EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents company.
• Mica HardwareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHardware retailer.
• Monument ToolsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional plumbing tools manufacturer.
• National Buying GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBuying group for independent merchants.
• NotcuttsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGarden centre chain.
• PavestoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPaving and landscape products.
• PR DirectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR services partner.
• QEPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional tools brand.
• ReisserminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScrews and fasteners brand.
• Stax Trade CentrescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor supporters who helped fund the website upgrade.
• Sterling LocksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLock manufacturer.
• ToolbankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTools distribution group.
• Charis GrantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver e-learning modules that help beneficiaries find new jobs, including basic computer skills, CV writing, job applications, and specialist training.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• entitledto.co.uk: UK benefits calculator partner that powers RDT's free benefits tool. Enabling technology partner directly named in RDT's service offering.
• Charity Commission for England and Wales: UK regulator that oversees RDT's registered charity status (number 1170878). Regulatory relationship rather than competitive peer but materially relevant to operating context.

Direct peers

• Hospitality Action: UK charity supporting hospitality workers in need through grants, counselling, and training. Comparable operating model to RDT with single-industry focus and similar service mix including financial assistance and wellbeing support.
• The Printing Charity: UK charity supporting those in the printing, publishing, and packaging industries. Comparable niche industry-specific welfare model providing grants, housing assistance, and wellbeing services.
• The Licensed Trade Charity: UK charity providing financial, personal, and emotional support to pub, bar, and brewery workers. Direct operational analogue: industry-specific benevolent fund with grants, helpline, and corporate partnership programme.
• Lighthouse Charity: UK charity supporting construction industry workers and families with welfare grants, advice, and training. Closely analogous to RDT given overlap in construction/home improvement verticals and similar beneficiary profile.
• The Book Trade Charity: UK charity supporting booksellers, publishers, and allied trades with financial hardship grants. Direct operational peer given single-industry focus and similar beneficiary profile of trade workers.
• The Retail Trust: UK charity providing welfare support, grants, counselling, and legal advice to current and former retail workers. Directly comparable model: industry-specific benevolent fund offering financial hardship grants and support services.
• The Farmers' Charitable Trust: UK charity providing hardship grants and support to farming families. Comparable single-industry welfare charity model with similar size and scope of services.

Emerging players

• CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) - Industry Charity: UK construction sector training and development body that includes welfare elements. Adjacent to RDT given construction industry overlap and apprenticeship support function (where RDT's programme is currently suspended).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rainydaytrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rainy-Day-Trust-136529525879
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rainy-day-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/rainydaytrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rainy Day Trust