The Family Fund is a UK charity giving grants to lower-income families raising a disabled or seriously ill child aged 0-24. You can apply if your child has high support needs - no formal diagnosis is required.
What the Family Fund is
It is the UK's largest charity providing grants to families on a low income who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person. The grants are for items and experiences that ease the extra cost of disability: a washing machine, a bed, a tablet or sensory equipment, clothing, or a family short break. In England the grants are delivered through the government-funded Support for Families with Disabled Children programme; in Scotland the core programme is funded by the Scottish Government.
Can you apply?
Eligibility rests on four things. Your child must be aged 0 to 24; your family must be on a low income or getting a qualifying benefit; you must have been resident in the UK for at least the past six months; and your child must not be in local authority or foster care (there is a 'Child in Need' exception). Crucially, the Family Fund assesses on the social model of disability, meaning your child's support needs rather than a label. You qualify if your child needs a high level of support in at least three of these seven areas (Family Fund, 2026):
- personal care
- access to social activities
- education
- communication
- supervision and vigilance
- medical or therapeutic treatment, or condition management
- physical environment and specialist resources
Because the test is about support needs, an autism, ADHD or other diagnosis is helpful evidence but not a requirement. You can apply while you are still waiting for an assessment, as long as the support needs are there.
What this means for you
Two practical points the headline rules often miss. First, you can generally only apply once every 12 months, so it is worth using a grant on something that genuinely helps. Second, whether applications are even open depends on your UK nation: as of 2026 the schemes in Northern Ireland and Wales can be temporarily closed to new applicants when funding runs low, while England and Scotland run their government-funded programmes. When you apply you will need proof of income (a recent benefit award letter or your last three months of payslips) and supporting evidence about your child, which can be an EHCP, a one-page profile or professional reports.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.