Families with disabled or seriously ill children who are facing increased winter expenses are being urged to seek financial help from the Family Fund, a national charity that provides grants to low-income families. The Family Fund offers grants that can be used to purchase essential items such as white goods, furniture, clothing, computers, tablets, sensory toys, and even funds for family holidays and outings. Applications can be made online, with decisions typically reached within a few weeks.
Raising a child with disabilities often results in significantly higher household costs due to the need for additional care. Recent findings by disability charity Scope suggest that families now face extra monthly expenses exceeding £1,000. As the UK’s largest grant-giving charity for low-income families caring for disabled or seriously ill children, Family Fund supported over 150,000 families last year through grants and other services.
Ben Calverley, Director of Grants Services at Family Fund, highlighted the significant challenges faced by these families, especially during winter: “Winter is a very challenging time for the families we support- covering higher bills to care for their disabled and seriously ill children on top of, often, rising debt from not being able to work as much as they want.”
Caroline Callaghan, a Glasgow mother who cares full-time for her 14-year-old son Liam, who has learning disabilities, autism, and brittle bone disease, shared her story: “Liam’s disabilities mean I have to do everything for him, from brushing his teeth to bathing him and getting him dressed.
Winter grants for struggling families
He is incontinent too, so wears nappies, and I often have to wrap him in a bubble so he doesn’t do anything that might fracture his bones.”
She further detailed the financial burden: “The expense of raising a disabled child is extortionate.
Even the onesies Liam has to wear with his nappies are £25 a piece, and they’re constantly being washed, so he needs multiple pairs.”
Caroline also mentioned the practical support received from Family Fund: “We had a tumble dryer from the Family Fund when Liam was younger which we still use now. The amount of sheets and bedding that I constantly wash, and we need to dry quickly to reuse, you’d think we were a family of five.” Additionally, the organisation has provided aid for sensory toys and clothes, and an iPad grant which Caroline described as a significant help. “We take it everywhere, especially if we’re going to the hospital.
I can use his iPad to distract him for safety, and it takes his mind off what is happening. He uses his iPad to download cartoons and his favourite video clips.”
She added, “Family Fund has been an absolute lifesaver for families like myself over the years. You can request anything you need, and it is life-changing.
The help we’ve had has saved us so much money, and I couldn’t have done it without their help.”
For those interested, full details on how to apply to the Family Fund are available on their website.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
