Frequently asked questions about grants

All information about applying for a grant can be found on our Apply for a grant page.

Family Fund look at your income as well as the impact of disability on your child – you do not necessarily have to be claiming benefits to be eligible. Find out more on our eligibility page for more information.

Family Fund work with a variety of suppliers to offer grants. Find out about the types of items that you can apply for through our grant programmes.

You cannot apply for items that you’ve already bought or items that should be provided by a statutory agency such as a local authority or health services after a needs assessment (for example, home adaptions, therapies or specialist buggies).

The application is in three parts, the first two parts are simpler than the final part but and need to be done in one go. The third part can be completed in stages and you have 28 days to do so.

This depends on what you need. If you need a grant for a higher value item, or a family item, then it can be awarded on behalf of the family through one child’s circumstances (if that child meets criteria). If, for example, you need a grant for individual items (such as clothes or bedding). You should include the additional disabled children who need these items in your application.

It can take up to 10 working days for a paper application form to arrive through the post. Keep a look out for the Family Fund logo on the envelope.

Family Fund uses a ‘social model of disability’ which means that we look at the support your child receives in different areas of their daily life. If there is a multi-agency plan in place, we can build a picture of your child’s need more quickly but you do not need one to be able to apply. For more information, check our child and young person eligibility page.

Yes, it is helpful for us to have a professional to contact if we need some more information, but we are not allowed to collect their details without their consent. You can still apply, just make sure that you provide as much information as you can in the form.

Yes we can consider application from those with no recourse to public funds. We may need you to provide some extra information about your family income and situation.

The email is sent automatically using the email address you have entered. If you haven’t received it, please check the email address you gave us as well as looking in any spam or junk folders.

This depends on where you live and the programme you wish to apply for. Please try our application-date-checker.

In October 2023 we made some technical updates to our systems and application form to allow us to award grants more quickly. As a result of these changes, you will need to start a new application to Family Fund. You will need your existing Family Fund number and you will use this to create a new log in to access the new application. Please note that your existing password will not work on the new system.

To process your application as quick as possible, it is important that you give both a contact phone number and email address.

If you have applied to Family Fund before, you will have a unique Family Fund number. You can find this on any email or letter we have sent you.

If you can’t find your number, leave the question blank and we can find it for you.

As you can only make an application every 24 months. We have to ask for full and detailed up to date information each time you apply.

Our grants team are working as quickly as possible to process all applications. We will be in touch as soon as a decision has been made, or if we need additional information.

If we have not yet made a decision on your application, you can change your request. Please contact us through this online form.

We do not usually change grant items once they have been awarded. However, if you no longer need your grant award, contact us and we may be able to help. You must do this within 30 days of the date you receive your award notification. We may be able to help, but can’t guarantee it.

If your contact details (for example your phone number or address) have changed, please let us know by using our contact form.

In some instances, we may ring you to confirm your contact detail changes, but otherwise please be assured these changes will be made.

In some instances, applications for a child or young person with some additional support needs, may not meet the eligibility criteria for a grant. For instance, if your child does not need a high level of support across three areas of our eligibility criteria.

It is possible that in your application we didn’t have enough information about your child’s additional support needs to make a decision.

If you believe your child is eligible and would like to appeal a recent decline decision, please email documents relating to your child’s additional support needs to [email protected]

If your grant has expired and you were unable to spend it within the time specified, for reasons beyond your control, please contact us.

If you have a complaint about any aspect of our work, please fill in a complaint form with your concern. We aim to give a full reply within 28 days of receiving your complaint. We may ask you for some additional information in order to classify and report your complaint correctly.