There are many avenues of financial support for someone with a disability that needs specialist equipment.
Funding can be obtained via social care support from your local authority, through your NHS Trust e.g. Wheelchair Service Scheme, or through charitable funding. We cover NHS and Local Authority funding in a previous article.
This article focuses on charitable funding streams, as people in the community may have already had a needs assessment through their local council but still need extra equipment to enhance their daily lives and do the things they want to do.
If you are in this situation, do not give up hope, there is a minefield of available funding out there, and we are here to help you navigate the funding landscape and direct you to the right funding for your needs, supporting you every step of the way.
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Charities for Disabled Adults
There are scores of charities to fund disability equipment for disabled adults. We have an extensive charities database, covering charities across all different conditions. Download our charities database for free and find the ones most relevant to your needs. Turn2Us is another very useful resource to help point you to the right charity for your needs.
It is important when applying to check you are eligible, and some charities will want to see that you have investigated support through your local council first.
To accompany your application, you may need a written report from your OT or health worker. If you are using the funding to purchase equipment from ourselves we can assist you with the application process using our resource library, as a free-of-charge complimentary service.
There are other support services out there to help with applying for grants, such as Older People’s Advocacy Alliance or Scope.
The Richmond Group of charities is a collaboration of leading organisations in the voluntary sector, representing the needs of people living with long term health needs at a high level, giving them a voice.
Charities for Disabled Children
Our charities list has an extensive number of charities for young people and children, use this as an invaluable research tool to come up with a shortlist of options.
Caring for disabled children is a full-time challenge, it’s not just equipment that is needed, but respite breaks and support for carers too.
Home adaptations may be needed to make the home more suitable for care of the child, such as disabled lifts, level access areas, or even therapy rooms or pools. Our sister company Innova Care Concepts specialises in hydrotherapy pools and hoisting systems for the home, and Aquadapt provide general home adaptations such as disabled bathrooms or ramping.
Innova hydrotherapy pool
Aquadapt design and installation service
Whizz Kidz, a charity listed on our free database, is the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users. Our experienced assessors can conduct wheelchair assessments here at our showroom or in your home, to assess your needs and show you what options are available to you in the wheelchair market.
Sportability is another charity that encourages disabled adults and young people to venture into the great outdoors by hosting outdoor sporting events. Their motto is to take the ‘dis’ out of disability and show that people with physical disabilities or chronic conditions like MS can participate in any outdoor activity with the right equipment, such as quad biking, water skiing or scuba diving! They work with Experience Community, a not-for-profit organisation who provide the equipment to trial. We were pleased to sponsor an event at Leeds Urban Bike Park last year, where volunteers tried out the specially adapted trikes and bikes.
Leeds Urban Bike Park event June 2022
Access in the Workplace
The Access to Work grant scheme provides funding for equipment that employees need to do their job, including commuting to work. Existing benefits you may already receive do not affect eligibility for this grant. This guide covers more details on how to apply for the grant, this is not just equipment but covers a range of support such as sign language interpreters, mental health support, or special computer software. The equipment belongs to the employer, but they are entitled to gift it to you if you leave their employment.
Access to Work scheme
Grants
The Disability Grants website filters grant providers by category so you can narrow down the search to the categories most relevant to you.
The Money Saving Expert website has a list of funding options if you are on a low income.
Disabled Facilities Grant — home adaptations
Although this is funded by local authorities rather than charitable funding, it’s important to be aware of this as another string to your bow. Apply via gov.uk to access funding towards home improvements to make your home more accessible for disabled users. The work will usually be assessed by an OT and will not be means-tested for children under 19, up to a maximum grant of £30K in England. Our sister company Aquadapt specialise in home adaptations and have worked on many DFG-funded projects.
Other Fundraising Support
Notwithstanding the above options, there is a network of external funding support should you not get all the funding you need through official channels. Crowdfunding sites like JustGiving or GoFundMe are very popular and can attract lots of donations if you share your story and the mission you want to achieve. Social media can be a very powerful tool to run a campaign and promote your story to a wider audience.
Guidance on Making Applications
Making grant applications can be a time-consuming process but we are here to help and support. We have a range of justification tools in our resource library that can support your case for particular products and services.
You may need a written report from a healthcare professional such as an occupational therapist or health worker.
Always check on eligibility criteria first before starting the application process, to avoid the disappointment of finding that you don’t meet the funding criteria.
Conclusion
No matter what your situation or condition, there is external support and funding available to enhance your independence and quality of life.
A great place to start is by researching our free database and resources, to set you on the path towards your funding goals.
If you know of someone who would benefit from our equipment but may need extra financial support, send us their name and contact details and we will get in touch with them.
Got any Questions?
Ralph has many years' experience in the healthcare sector. In a previous life he worked in finance, and his spreadsheet skills come in handy for all the analysis and research he does as he investigates topics and solutions for some of the world's most complex healthcare conditions and challenges. Aside from writing in-depth articles and organising webinars and interviews with top healthcare professionals, Ralph also administrates Vivid's "Healthcare Pioneers Board", a large group of healthcare specialists with multiple disciplines, who are working together to improve care for years to come.
