Help Musicians UK is the leading UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement.

They help at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the extra support they need at a crucial stage that could make or break their career. 

They offer practical, positive support to emerging, professional and retired musicians – whatever the genre.

Specifically, they help emerging professionals to develop their talent and get started in a professional career.  They help existing professionals who hit a crisis in their lives which can have a devastating effect on their career and families. They help with long-term or terminal illness and they help musicians in retirement and those needing special help as they grow older.

In 1921 English tenor Gervase Elwes died tragically in a railway accident in Boston, USA.

Throughout his life, he had shown compassion and kindness to musicians and composers, counting Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar as his friends.

Following his death, his friends set up a fund for musicians in his name and in 1930, this became the Musicians Benevolent Fund.

During the Second World War, pianist Myra Hess gave us the financial boost that they needed to continue our work by donating the proceeds of her famous concert series, which ran throughout the War at the National Gallery.

Our work has expanded to the point where, each year, they help over 2,000 individual musicians  – covering a wide range of genres, ages and professional roles.

In 2014, they adopted the name Help Musicians UK to bring our message to an even wider range of musicians and supporters. They are proud to continue the tradition of compassion and kindness upon which they were founded.