All applications for financial assistance are considered on an individual basis, in confidence, at monthly meetings by twelve elected Governors . The Society aims to meet need as quickly as possible.

Normally, applications require support from a Member of the Society.

In addition to offering financial support, applicants may be offered referral to medical practitioners who have informed understanding of the special needs of musicians.  The Society’s Honorary Medical Officers, practitioners at the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) and the International Society for the Study of Tension in Performance (ISSTIP) play a vital role in the Society’s work.

Some applicants may be offered a paid consultation with a money adviser as, at times of crisis, practical advice about money management can greatly reduce stress.


The Society cannot help musicians whose distress is caused by want of employment, nor does it provide financial assistance towards the cost of educational fees.


Friendship between colleagues remains the core of the Society’s work. Members alert the Society about colleagues in need and also keep in touch with  those who have retired from the profession.