This section provides information about grant-making organisations who might offer financial help towards home adaptations or equipment for people with autism.

The majority of grant-making organisations will have criteria for who can apply for financial help. For example, an organisation may only provide financial help towards home improvements for a child. Other organisations may be for individuals living in a certain area, and others may specify what type of adaptations or equipment the organisation may provide funds towards.

Some of the organisations will request that your application for help with funding is supported by a professional, eg they may require a letter in support of your application from your social worker.

A lot of the funds available are means-tested. This means that the organisation will assess your income when deciding if you are eligible to receive funding from them.

This section sheet provides you with details of possible sources of funding towards home improvements and equipment. We give you a brief overview of what each organisation provides funding towards, and also about whom they provide funds to. For information about their eligibility criteria please contact the organisation directly.

Social Fund - Community Care Grant (UK-wide)

The Social Fund is part of the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) and consists of limited amounts of loans and grants. The Social Fund is available to people living in the UK and aims to help those who are on a low income, with one-off expenses. Community Care Grants (CCGs) come from the Social Fund. As it is a grant, it does not have to be paid back (unlike some of the loans that are available from the Social Fund such as Budgeting Loans and Crisis Loans).

CCGs are only available to people receiving Income Support, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, or Pension Credit. If you receive one of these benefits then you may be able to get a CCG to pay for certain items that you cannot afford out of your weekly benefit.

CCGs cannot be paid for repairs and major home improvements but can be paid to improve your existing living conditions. They are commonly awarded for specific items of furniture or appliances needed within the home, often when moving into unfurnished or partly furnished accommodation.

These would include, for example, money towards sofas, tables, beds, fridges, freezers and washing machines. In unfurnished properties carpets (including the cost of carpeting), curtains and blinds can be awarded. CCGs can also be awarded for the cost of removal expenses when moving home and some connection and installation charges.

CCGs are not automatically awarded and to receive one you must show that you have a particular need for it. You may get a CCG to help you stay living in the community rather than moving into residential accommodation. Another reason why you may get a CCG is to help with costs to ease exceptional pressure on your family. For example, if you are a parent of a child with autism (or another disability) and this gives rise to what is considered to be 'exceptional pressure' then you may get a CCG.

Each local Social Fund office has an annual budget for CCGs. CCGs are means-tested and the amount you may get will also be determined by your income and savings.

To apply for a CCG you will need to fill in form SF300. This form will be available from your local Jobcentre Plus. For those living in England, Wales, or Scotland; you can download the form from the following website: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

If you have a social worker then they may be able to help you fill in the form for a CCG. You could also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for help with filling in the form. When filling in the form you will need to write what would happen if you didnt get the financial help from the CCG. For example, if you were wanting financial help to make safety adaptations to your house if you child who has autism, has a lack of awareness of danger then make it clear on your form what would happen to your child if you couldnt afford to make these safety adaptations.

If you are turned down for a CCG then you may also be offered an interest-free Budgeting Loan instead of a grant but you would have to pay it back out of your weekly benefit. Please get independent advice before agreeing to a loan, perhaps from your local Citizens Advice Bureau. If your application for a CCG is turned down or you are awarded less than what you are wanting then you can ask the Social Fund Review Officer to look at your application again. If you are still unhappy with the decision then can ask for an independent review of the decision by the Independent Review Service for the Social Fund. For more information about this process please look at the following website: www.irs-review.org.uk

For more information about the Social Fund, including CCGs look at the following website: www.dwp.gov.uk/resourcecentre/social_fund.asp

The Family Fund (UK-wide)

The Family Fund is a registered charity, helping around 53,000 families in the UK with around £31 million in grants a year. The national governments of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales provide the Fund’s income as part of their commitment to disabled children and young people.

The Fund helps families with severely disabled children and young people aged 17 and under to have choices and the opportunity to enjoy ordinary life. It gives grants for things that make life easier and more enjoyable for the disabled child, young person and their family, such as washing machines, driving lessons, computers and holidays.

The Fund can consider an application if:

  • you live in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
  • you are the parent or carer of a severely disabled child or young person aged 17 or under who lives at home
  • you are eligible for, and can send the Family Fund evidence of entitlement to, one the following:
    • Child Tax Credit
    • Working Tax Credit
    • Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
    • Income Support
    • Incapacity Benefit
    • Employment Support Allowance
    • Housing Benefit
    • Pension Credit
  • you have permanent legal residency in the UK and have lived in the UK for six months.


The Fund will consider any grant request that will make a difference to the lives of a disabled child, young person and their family.

Families can apply for things from attraction tickets to zoo trips, but the Fund also encourage requests from young people that have particular meaning to their age group such as driving lessons, laptops and equipment for college.

The Fund tries to help families caring for a severely disabled child or young person once every year, and will consider a grant application, usually 12 months from the date of the last grant.

To apply for help from the Family Fund you can download an application from www.familyfund.org.uk or write or telephone to ask for an application form using the details below.

Family Fund
4 Alpha Court
Monks Cross Drive
York
YO32 9WN
Tel: 08449 744 099     

When you application is received, Family Fund will need to check that your household income is within the limits and that the child or young person in the application is severely disabled under our definition of severe disability. Missing information may delay your application and, in addition, the Fund may need to arrange a home visit or telephone conversation with you and one of their Family Fund Advisers. It usually takes around three to four months to complete your application and the Fund will contact you in writing to let you know the decision.

If you have applied before, and there has been no change in your circumstances since your last application, you can apply for your grant online at www.familyfund.org.uk or you can request a pack using any of the above methods. It usually takes around six to eight weeks for the Fund to make a decision on your application.

Disabled Facilities Grant (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) are paid to people, who have a disability, to help pay for adaptations to their home. The grant is to help people with disabilities to continue living where they are.

DFGs are available through local councils and the council must approve the adaptations before any work is done. Adaptations to housing may be funded up to a maximum of £30,000 in England, £25,000 in Northern Ireland and £36,000 in Wales.

DFGs are awarded to make a home safer for an individual who as a disability. It can also be used to provide essential facilities within your home, and to make your home more accessible for the person living there who has a disability.

If you apply for the DFG, it must be for a proposed adaptation to your home for the need of the individual who has the disability. For example, we are often asked if a DFG can be used to build an extra bedroom for a child who has autism. Parents often say that their child who has autism may show challenging behaviour towards their sibling, putting their sibling at risk of harm and therefore unable to share a bedroom with them. If you want to apply for a DFG to help pay for the extra bedroom in this case, you must show how the bedroom for the child with autism will help the family to better meet the needs of the child and the safety needs of their siblings. A DFG could be used to adapt a bedroom for your child who has autism, to make it a safe place to leave them unattended during the night.

To be eligible for a DFG you must be an owner-occupier, tenant (private, local housing authority, or housing association) or a landlord who has a disabled tenant. It will usually be the housing or environmental health department, at your local council, who will deal with DFGs. Applications need to be supported with a certificate stating that the individual, who has the disability, will be living in the property for at least five years following the completion of the work. Contact your local housing authority for an application form.

Social Services departments (Health and Social Boards in Northern Ireland) employ occupational therapists. An occupational therapist will assess the need of the person who has the disability to see if the housing adaptation is necessary and appropriate for the individual.

There is a means test for the DFG; however this is no longer applicable if you are applying for a DFG to make housing adaptations for a child or young person aged under the age of 19. The means test applies to families who want to make housing adaptations for a person aged 19 or over.

For more information about DFGs please look at the following websites:

Home improvement help (England)

This can be a grant or a loan given to you by your local authority to help with repairing, improving or adapting your home. Each local authority has its own rules and conditions about the type of help that can be offered and also what qualifies you to access the help.

Each local authority will have its own application forms and rules. You can contact your local housing authority and find out more about this.

If you rent your home and apply to your local authority with home improvements, you must get permission from your landlord before the local authority will agree to help. If you need home improvement help due to a disability, your landlord cannot refuse without a good reason.

To find out more about Home Improvement help, contact your local housing authority or visit the Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) website www.adviceguide.org.uk and select the 'Housing' link shown in the 'Your family' section on the home page, which will take you through to a further list of options. Click on the 'Help with home improvements' link in this list for further information.

Home improvement agencies (HIA)

Home improvement agencies are local not-for-profit organisations. They provide older, disabled, vulnerable home owners and private tenants with independent advice and help to carry out repairs, adaptations and improvements on their homes.

They visit your home and establish what building works may be needed and if there are any grants or loans that can be accessed to fund the work. They could help apply for the grant/loans and continue supporting you until the work has been completed.

Although the initial visit is free, some HIAs may charge a fee to use their help. This would usually be included in any grants that are awarded. However, it would be completely your decision if you want the HIA to help and all costs would be discussed with you before the agreement is signed.

To find out more and where your local HIA is, contact Foundations on 01457 891 909 or visit the Foundations website: www.foundations.uk.com

Home improvement grants (Scotland)

In Scotland, home improvement grants are available from the housing authority to help with adaptations if you are a homeowner or private tenant.

There is a mandatory improvement grant to provide the standard amenities to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Examples of these amenities are providing a washbasin with hot and cold running water, a toilet and a fixed bath or shower with hot and cold water supply (if the house does not already have one). If the house already has these standard amenities but they dont meet the needs of the person with the disability, then you may still get this grant.

There are also discretionary home improvement grants of up to £20,000 that are available to people with disabilities. Similarly to the DFG, you will need to show that the person with the disability will be living in the house for at least five years following the adaptations.

You should ask your local authority for a copy of the booklet Housing Grants which is produced by the Scottish Executive.

Council tenants and Scottish homes tenants should approach their landlords for help with adapting their homes.

The Caudwell Charity (UK-wide)

The Caudwell Charity can provide grants to children, under the age of 18, who have a disability or special needs. They can help fund specific items for children such as soft play equipment and sensory room equipment. They do not fund building works, clothing, or domestic appliances. For further information about what the charity funds and does not fund, please visit their website: www.cauldwellchildren.com

To apply for a grant from the Caudwell Charity you will need to fill in an application form for the initial request. You can obtain this form by downloading it from their website or you can email or telephone them using the following contact details:

Email: charity@caudwellchildren.com
Tel: 0845 300 1348 (please leave a message with your name and address to request an application form)

Children Today Charitable Trust (UK-wide)

Children Today is another charity that might be able to offer financial help towards equipment for children and young people. They fund a range of equipment for example, special bikes and sensory equipment (eg bubble tubes).

When assessing your application, they will apply a means test. However, Children Today recognise that having a child with a disability can mean that the family have additional expenses and so they say that they will look at each claim sympathetically.

To find our more information and to request an application form, please use the following contact details:

Children Today Charitable Trust
The Moorings
Rowton Bridge
Christleton
Chester CH3 7AE

Tel: 01244 335 622
Fax: 01244 335 473
Email: info@children-today.org.uk
Website: www.children-today.org.uk

The Variety Club (UK- wide)

The Variety Club can help children who have a disability by providing funds for specific pieces of equipment for the direct use of the child who has a disability, such as sensory room or play equipment. The funding they provide is for families who are on a low income (you don't necessarily have to be on benefits).

You will need to complete a form giving details of your child's difficulties, the family situation, with brief details of finance and reasons why your child would benefit from the equipment you are wanting. A letter of support from a professional such as a physiotherapist or occupational therapist  (ie  someone with qualifications  to be able to recommend the equipment or grant they are applying for ) is also required.

To apply for financial help from the Variety Club, you can contact them using the following contact details:

The General Appeals Co-ordinator
Variety Club House
93 Bayham Street
London NW1 OAG

Tel: 020 7428 8100
Email: appeals@varietyclub.org.uk
Website: www.varietyclub.org.uk (where you can download application forms and guidance notes)

Fledglings

Fledglings offer advice about organisations that can help you with the cost of more expensive items if you cannot afford to provide them yourself and if your child has special needs. Please note that they do not offer financial help to families themselves. To get advice from Fledglings please contact:

Ruth Lingard
Fledglings
Wenden Court
Station Approach
Wendens Ambo
Saffron Walden
Essex CB11 4LB

Tel: 0845 458 1124
Fax: 0845 458 1125
Email: enquiries@fledglings.org.uk
Website: www.fledglings.org.uk

Family Action

Family Action make both welfare grants, meeting a range of essential needs and educational grants, for the additional costs associated with education such as travel, books and equipment. They have a number of priority groups of people who they provide funds to. One of these priority areas is to provide funds for individuals who have a sickness or disability.  They provide grants for things like clothing, fuel bills, and house-hold needs (eg beds and cookers). When making an application to Family Action, this must be supported by a social worker or other relevant professional.  The application must come through the professional rather than yourself.

To find out more information about grants and the application process please contact:

Grants Service
Family Action
501-505 Kingsland Road
London E8 4AU

Tel: 020 7241 7459 (2-4pm, Tue, Wed and Thurs only)
Fax: 020 7249 5443
Email: grants.enquiry@fwa.org.uk 
Website: www.fwa.org.uk/grant_app.html (where you can download application forms)

Sir John Sumner's Trust

UK-wide with preference for those living in the Midlands, Sir John Sumner's Trust provides one-off grants for people in need. They can provide grants for amounts between £30 and £70.

To apply for a grant you will need to apply in writing via social services (or appropriate welfare agency) to the following:

A C Robson
The Secretary to the Trustees
No 1 Colmore Square
Birmingham B4 6AA

Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust

The Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust can provide grants to individuals who have disabilities where there is a medical need. They can provide grants for house-hold equipment such as washing machines, or bed linen, for example if a child soils their clothing regularly (the medical need being incontinence). They do not provide funding for housing adaptations, clothing, or general home furnishing.

To make an application to the Trust you can write to:

Mrs A E Griffiths
Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust
6 Avonmore Road
London W14 8RL

Tel: 020 7605 4244
Website: www.fnaist.org.uk (where you can download an application form)
Once you have filled in the form, you can send it to the address above.

The EDF Energy Trust

The EDF Energy Trust provides grants to cover the payment of energy bills and other essential household bills or costs, for people who are on low income. To be eligible for their support you must be a domestic customer of one of the EDF Energy Boards. These are London Energy, Seeboard Energy, SWEB Energy and EDF Energy. People who live in a home which is supplied by EDF Energy, but are not the account holder, can still apply to receive a grant from this trust.

To apply for a grant from EDF Energy Trust you can visit their website and download an application form or you can complete an online application form: www.edfenergytrust.org.uk

For further information about the Trust and how to apply you can use the following contact details:

EDF Energy Trust
Freepost RLXG-RBYJ-USXE
PO Box 42
Peterborough PE3 8XH

Tel: 01733 421060
Email: edfet@charisgrants.com
Website: www.edfenergytrust.org.uk

Useful publications and websites

The Directory of Social Change publishes the following book:

Chronnell C. (2011). The guide to grants for individuals in need 2011/12. London: Directory of Social Change.

This is a reference book that provides details of a range of funds available to individuals, for the relief of individual poverty and hardship. The book lists charities that provide funds to individuals who have a disability. Many local advice centres (for example, Citizens Advice Bureaux) will have a copy of this book and you can ask if you can access this to search for other sources of funding. Some libraries may also have a copy of this book so ask at your local library for this information.

Turn2us www.turn2us.org.uk

Turn2us is a website that helps people access the money available to them in benefits and grants. You can search a database containing hundreds of grant-giving charities that may be able to help.

You may find it useful to speak to an adviser at your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to get help with applying to trusts and charities for grants. To find out where your local CAB is you can use the following websites: www.citizensadvice.org.uk (if you live in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) www.cas.org.uk (if you live in Scotland).

If you do not have access the internet and would like to find details of your local CAB then please contact the Autism Helpline and an adviser can search for you using the websites.

If you require further information, please contact:

Autism Helpline
Tel: 0808 800 4104 (open 10am-4pm, Monday-Friday)
Minicom: 0845 070 4003
Email: autismhelpline@nas.org.uk 
Website: www.autism.org.uk/helpline

Our Autism Helpline provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support for people with autism spectrum disorders and their families and carers.

Information Centre
Tel: 020 7903 3599 (open 10am-4pm, Monday-Friday)
Fax: +44 (0)20 7833 9666
Email: info@nas.org.uk
Website: www.autism.org.uk/infocentre

Our Information Centre provides a specialist information service for professionals working with people with autism and their families, and students and researchers studying autism.