Backup Tech

The UK’s Registered Technical Entertainment Charity That Provides Financial & Wellbeing Support To Technical Industry Professionals

Backup – The Technical Entertainment Charity is the UK’s registered charity that provides financial support to industry technical professionals, crew/production personnel and people working in the technical supply chain across the UK entertainment industry including those from live events, theatre and broadcast television.

Backups’ primary and long running remit is support to those who are seriously ill or injured or to their surviving family members, via a tailored Support Grant.

It is only thanks to the support and generous donations from companies and individuals, that Backup is able to help the technical entertainment industry care for its own. 

If you want to support or find out more information on Backup visit  www.backuptech.uk

Donate

The STLD is pleased to be a supporter of this charity which is there to help people in our industry when they fall on difficult times. 

Whether you set up a regular donation or give a one-off donation below, giving makes such a difference in helping us support our industry colleagues get back on their feet. You can set up a monthly donation below via direct debit or make a one-off contribution using a credit or debit card.

Hardship Fund

Hardship Grants are tailored to help people who find themselves in financial difficulty, with short-term financial support.

The Hardship Fund was initially started by Backup in response to the devastating impact of COVID-19. Backup created a separate initial Hardship Fund, which provided limited financial assistance to industry technical professionals, crew/production personnel and people working in the technical supply chain across the UK entertainment industry specifically live events, music touring and theatre. During 2020 and 2021 Backup completed 3 rounds of Hardship funds.

Aware that so many in our industry (particularly freelancers) had been financially devastated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and with worsening cost of living crisis in the UK, Backup have continued the Hardship Fund to help industry colleagues who find themselves in financial difficulty.

If you find yourself in financial difficulty please apply for our hardship grant.

Wellbeing Support

The technical entertainment industry is an exciting place to work and most would say that they are lucky enough to do a job which they love. However, it can also be a challenging environment when facing the pressures and stress involved, particularly for the freelance community when working on a demanding production combined with long and irregular work hours.

If you’re needing help or concerned for an industry colleague, we have created this Wellbeing Support space to help you find the resource that you need. Working with our network of industry contacts, supporters and organisations, our aim is to provide ‘Wellbeing’ information with tools and resources for our colleagues in the technical entertainment industry.

Backup will continue to develop the information provided here, as well as look to support and share industry initiatives that that help improve awareness, provide training and foster more open communication about Mental Health, Addiction/Recovery and general Wellbeing.

Medical Grant

If you would like to know if you are eligible to apply for a Medical Grant, you must be able to answer yes to each of the following questions:

Are you seriously ill or unable to work due to injury, or do you have an immediate, dependent family member who is seriously ill or injured?

Do you reside or primarily work in the United Kingdom?

Do you work backstage in any type of live performance venue, or for a company that supplies entertainment technology products and services?

Have you earned your living in the entertainment technology industry for at least five years?

Do you have extremely limited financial resources?

Do you need help with basic living expenses, medical costs, funeral expenses, or retraining for another type of job?

If you have recently lost an immediate family member who met the above criteria and who was your primary source of income, you may also be eligible to apply for a Medical Grant.