Help for disabled and ill children from Family Fund grants

Thousands of people from across the country receive assistance from the Family Fund every month. The charity provides grants and support services to young people with a physical disability and there is also financial assistance for the sick. The applicant needs to be on a low income and the one-off financial aid is offered only for people that meet age limits.

Uses of grants from Family Fund

The money from the grant programme can be used to cover a number of costs. Families of the patients often need help to pay for clothing, food, rent, equipment or heating bills. They may also need transportation and other practical items. In these cases the national charity can help the client meet these needs.

The amount of money paid out from the Fund will vary based on the applicant’s circumstances, but will usually be a small amount. Also, any financial aid paid out is one time only. Plan properly, as families can only apply once per year at most, so this is not something that can help in multiple years.

In addition to above, the Family Fund will allow the grants to pay for housing expenses such as fuel bills or rent arrears from landlords to prevent homelessness. Other uses of the grant can be for household items, washing machines, and fares to the hospital. There may be assistance to pay for home modifications or other items that the person needs to address the disability.

Application process

The grants are only for those families with a younger member of the household, and it is available in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and also Wales. Individuals with disability that are on a very low income and that have little savings can apply. In general, the income needs to be under a certain threshold set by the govenrment, or the family could be receiving benefits. Note that Attendance and any government Disability Living Allowance do not count towards the person’s income.

The applicant also needs to have very little savings available to them, and this will normally need to be under £15,000. So the intent is to only help those young people from a family with a low income and that have no other options available to them. This savings amount can be increased though based on the number of people in the household.

When applying, the staff and trustees from the Family Fund will review each and every application. The income conditions above are more general rule, however exceptions can always be made based on the exact circumstances of the situation.

Households with a disabled or sick child need to contact their hospital for more information, or contact the Family Fund directly at 01904 621115 to get an application. Or they can call a social care professional, nurse or health care worker, as this is a charity that operates across the UK and workers are often aware of it.

The professional will give the family an application as well if they need it. This needs to be completed and sent to the team from the grant programme. It will require proof of income and savings as well as other information. The application will also require a report from a nurse, doctor, or a health care consultant from the hospital for proof of the medical need. The application will be reviewed in short order, and a cheque or payments will be issued very quickly.