Objectives

The UK supports the global Media Freedom Coalition and aspires to support efforts in promoting media freedom locally as a global public good and be more proactive in defending and supporting journalists in the Philippines. The British Embassy Manila is seeking a proposal which supports the following objectives:

• strengthen the legal and regulatory environment in which freedom of the press is protected and respected on a national and/or regional scale
• empower and increase access to justice and legal support of journalists to ensure media safety and promote an inclusive media sphere

All bids should be in pounds sterling (GBP). We are accepting bids from a minimum of £15,000 to a maximum of £40,000 to support projects in this area. Proposals covering more than one objective are welcome. Please keep bids within the limits set out above.

Approval process

Project bids will be shortlisted and approved by the British Embassy Manila’s programme Board. To apply for funding, interested organisations must submit a concept note to the Programme manager (details below). The concept note should provide the information required to enable he programme team to make an initial assessment of whether the bidder will be able to qualify for the second round of selection.

If the concept note is successful in the first stage, the implementer will be asked to submit a full proposal and an activity-based budget (ABB). There is likely to be a short turnaround time for this. The full proposal will then be submitted to the Embassy Programme board and the FCDO in London.

Managerial and financial aspects

• any organisation can apply for funding. We do not accept project bids submitted by individuals
• please note that payment will be made in arrears. We cannot make pre-payments; successful bidders should make payments and be reimbursed by the Embassy. The implementer must have an active bank account in the name of the organisation to which we can transfer reimbursements electronically
• organisations must prove that they are able to manage the project sum in a satisfactory manner; the embassy may request reports by auditors

Exemptions

We regret that we are unable to fund:

• academic courses
• charitable activities
• commercial activities
• infrastructure or construction projects

Co-financing

A partnership framework to support the broader engagement of a project is welcome and can strengthen your bid. Please make sure to specify your other source(s) of funding in the concept note.

Evaluation of project bids

The aim of the project should be concise, feasible and sustainable. The expected outcomes should be measurable and the target group should be clearly defined and involved in project implementation.

The assessment criteria will include the following:

• financial and operational capacity
• relevance
• methodology
• sustainability
• value for money
• impact

Reporting

The embassy will require monthly financial reports and quarterly project progress reports (narrative and financial) from implementers. The first payment will be made upon the receipt of a monthly financial report. When the project has been completed the implementer shall prepare and send a final report to the Embassy within the period specified in the contract.

Timeline

Deadline for submission of concept note is 31 July 2022.

Successful applicants will implement their project until 28 February 2022. All payment requests and reporting should be finalised by 15 March 2022. You are advised to plan project activities accordingly.

Completed concept notes should be sent by email to Cara.SanPedro@fcdo.gov.uk. Please include reference number of the call in the subject line. If the project concept note is successful in the first stage, the applicant will then be asked to submit a full proposal and an activity-based budged (ABB).

Successful applicants will be informed of the result in the week commencing 8 August 2022.

With just over a week to go, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging more than 222,600 tax credits customers to renew their claims before the 31 July 2022 deadline.

Customers are being warned not to leave their renewal until the last minute and risk their payments being stopped. They can do it any time – day or night – through HMRC’s online services, including the HMRC App.

Tax credits help working families with targeted financial support and more than 363,000 customers have already renewed ahead of the deadline.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

The 31 July deadline is fast approaching and renewing your tax credits is too important to forget. HMRC support is available at all times of the day and night via GOV.UK and the smartphone app to help customers get their renewals right.

It’s great to see so many customers have already renewed their tax credits. I urge those who are yet to renew to do so as soon as possible, in order to avoid having their payments stopped.

Customers can manage their tax credits quickly and easily online. Once tax credits customers have completed their renewal, they can use their online account to check its progress and find out when they will hear back from HMRC.

If there is a change in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their tax credits, they must report the changes to HMRC. These include changes to:

• living arrangements
• childcare
• working hours, or
• income (increase or decrease).

Customers choosing to use the HMRC app on their smartphone can:

• renew their tax credits
• make changes to their claim
• check their tax credits payments schedule, and
• find out how much they have earned for the year

HMRC has released a video to explain how tax credits customers can use the HMRC app to view, manage and update their details.

As part of the UK government’s package to support households with the rising cost of living, a Cost of Living Payment of £650, payable in two separate lump sums of £326 and £324, for households receiving certain benefits or tax credits, has been introduced. For eligible customers receiving tax credits only and no other eligible benefits, HMRC will contact them to let them know they’re eligible and will issue payments automatically, with the first being made in the autumn. Customers do not need to contact HMRC or apply for the payment. More information on the Cost of Living Payment, including eligibility, is available on GOV.UK.

Tax credits are ending and will be replaced by Universal Credit by the end of 2024. Many customers who move from tax credits to Universal Credit could be financially better off and can use an independent benefits calculator to check. If customers choose to apply sooner, it is important to get independent advice beforehand as they will not be able to go back to tax credits or any other benefits that Universal Credit replaces.

As the deadline for renewals approaches, customers hurrying to sort out their accounts could be more vulnerable to scammers. HMRC is warning that if someone contacts them saying that they are from HMRC and wants the customer to transfer money urgently or give personal information, they should never let themselves be rushed. HMRC is also urging customers never to share their HMRC login details. Someone using them could steal from the customer or make a fraudulent claim in their name. The department urges people to take their time and check HMRC’s advice about scams on GOV.UK.

Customers can download the HMRC app for free from their smartphone app store.

Find out more about Universal Credit replacing tax credits.

To sign into our tax credits service for the first time you’ll need to prove your identity using 2 evidence sources. We’ve recently added GB driving licences as an additional option to help more of our customers get online. You can find the full list of accepted forms of ID at Manage your tax credits.