Family Fund

cymrubaby

Hi all

I recently asked the family fund for help with getting a small chest freezer for my son's food. He's 4 years old and cannot tolerate crumbly or lumpy foods so we have to blend all his meals. Basically I was only ever able to cook a little bit of food in advance for him as there just isn't enough room in our normal family freezer (we have 2 other children) to store all his blended meals. I really wanted to make things up in batches, date them and store them so that there's always a good mix of meals to choose from for him and it would save us buying baby jars to take out and having to cook from scratch every time he eats.

I also asked for some money towards clothes because he bottom shuffles (he cannot walk at all) and so he goes through so many jeans and trousers. I basically have to buy him a few pairs of new trousers every month because he wears holes in the seat of his. Also, he has gastric reflux so he's ruined a few clothes through being sick on them continuously and there's only so much hot washing they can take.

Anyway, FF contacted me and said that I had only asked for a relatively small amount of help and would I like anything else? I really couldn't think of anything he needs off the top of my head so I said no. They said to ring them back if I thought of anything. I've been thinking and I really don't want to ask for something just for the sake of getting it for nothing. I feel that there may be someone out there who could also use the help of FF and I don't want to take anything away from anyone.

Am I right in thinking this or is each family 'allocated' a certain amount? In other words, if I turn the offer down will the money just be left or will it go to someone else who needs it? I hope it's the latter.

The lady I spoke to said the funding in Wales is quite good at the moment so I can apply for something else but seeing as I can't think of anything that my son needs I'm reluctant to force myself to think of something else.

Zziggi

Is it your first application? People tend to get a bigger award in the first year they apply.

I don't think a set amount of money is set aside per family, maybe they were just ringing to see if you need any other help. If you don't, you don't. No point applying for things you don't actually need.

savemoney

I just applied its the only one time I can due to my daughter being 17, almost 18.

cymrubaby

Zziggi wrote: »

Is it your first application? People tend to get a bigger award in the first year they apply.

I don't think a set amount of money is set aside per family, maybe they were just ringing to see if you need any other help. If you don't, you don't. No point applying for things you don't actually need.

No, it's actually my third application. First time round we asked for clothing and help towards a holiday park holiday which they gave but phoned and asked if there was anything else we needed like bedding (due to his sickness), new tyres (we travel a lot to hospital and various appointments) and outdoor play equipment. We gratefully accepted these as they were indeed needed and my son now has a lovely Winnie the Pooh baby treehouse with a baby swing and slide which he loves. The second year we had a new washing machine (again for the excessive washing we do due to his sickness) and clothes again.

I don't think I will ask for anything else because it doesn't seem fair to use up money that we don't need but I think it's that they want me to think ahead for the next year because you can only apply once a year to them. I can't foresee any major needs so I will leave it for someone else to have.

cymrubaby

savemoney wrote: »

I just applied its the only one time I can due to my daughter being 17, almost 18.

Had you not heard about it before? It seems a shame that you may have missed out all this time.

cheap_charlie

I have just received my first award from the Family Fund.

I applied specifically for a holiday but when the lady came round she suggested other things I could ask for that I hadn't even thought about.

As I have to drive my daughter to and from school she suggested money towards transport and also a small amount towards reactional activities - such as dance classes, swimming, cinema etc.

She explained in future I could ask for money towards removal costs, white goods, money towards days out (if not requesting a holiday) or even get a laptop for my daughter, so there's plenty of things you can consider.

savemoney

Yes I hear about it last year but the ages limited was 16

She only officially got dla last Jan when she was 16

cymrubaby wrote: »

Had you not heard about it before? It seems a shame that you may have missed out all this time.

annie_cardiff

HI ALL , CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THIS FUND IS AND DO YOU NEED TO BE ON FULL DLA TO APPLY. MY GRANDSON HAS VARIOUS PROBLEMS DUE TO BEING THE SMALLEST BABY BOY BORN TO SURVIVE IN UK. HE IS NOW 6 AND DOING FANTASTICALLY WELL BUT HAS A FEW ISSUES , HELP OR ADVICE ANYONE.
MANY THANKS

savemoney

Annie I can only find this information. By the way posting in caps is classed as shouting

Checking eligibility of first-time applicants

If this is your first application to the Fund, we will need to confirm you and your child meet all the eligibility criteria.
We do this in a number ways, depending on your circumstances including:

• Written confirmation of your family’s income, such as payslips or letters confirming benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions
• Written confirmation of your child’s Disability Living Allowance award
• A home visit or phone-based assessment by a Family Fund Adviser

This process usually takes about two to four months. We will notify you in writing of our decision


http://www.familyfund.org.uk/page.asp?section=00010001000100070001&sectionTitle=Checking+eligibility+-+first-time+applicants

cymrubaby

cheap_charlie wrote: »

I have just received my first award from the Family Fund.

I applied specifically for a holiday but when the lady came round she suggested other things I could ask for that I hadn't even thought about.

As I have to drive my daughter to and from school she suggested money towards transport and also a small amount towards reactional activities - such as dance classes, swimming, cinema etc.

She explained in future I could ask for money towards removal costs, white goods, money towards days out (if not requesting a holiday) or even get a laptop for my daughter, so there's plenty of things you can consider.

My son's disabilities are quite severe in that he cannot attend classes or use a laptop so those things wouldn't come in handy for him but the days out would as would short breaks. We usually go on The Sun's £9.50 holidays once or twice a year in the Spring and Autumn but it would be nice to be able to go during the summer.

Luckily we'll have been helped twice with white goods once this application is approved (which it has been, provisionally) so that's a huge help in itself. The white goods are definitely for his benefit because of how much he's sick (I do about 5 or 6 loads a day when he's ill and most of them hot washes) and the single chest freezer is for his blended meals as I'm sick of only being able to make up one or two portions and storing them in our fridge. Even though we have a 50/50 fridge freezer it still doesn't fit his food in because we have all our normal food stuffed in there and it's hard to find space for his food containers. This chest freezer will be an absolute godsend!

cymrubaby

annie_cardiff wrote: »

HI ALL , CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THIS FUND IS AND DO YOU NEED TO BE ON FULL DLA TO APPLY. MY GRANDSON HAS VARIOUS PROBLEMS DUE TO BEING THE SMALLEST BABY BOY BORN TO SURVIVE IN UK. HE IS NOW 6 AND DOING FANTASTICALLY WELL BUT HAS A FEW ISSUES , HELP OR ADVICE ANYONE.
MANY THANKS

Yes, the child does have to be in receipt of DLA, though I cannot remember if it has to be higher rate or not, sorry.

I think the website is www.familyfund.org

HTH

Edited to add: Sorry, just saw link to FF in previous post, apologies for that.