Grants and Benefits 16+
There are many different kinds of financial support available nationally and in Wiltshire for those in the SEND community. On this page you will find an updated list of the most relevant options that may be available to you.
Advice and support
If you are not sure who to talk to or what else you might be entitled to you can find additional help by visiting Advice and support.
A personal budget is the money Wiltshire Council allocates to an individual to meet their assessed support needs.
An outcome based assessment will be carried out to establish an approximate figure for how much the council would need to spend to meet an individual's needs.
Types of personal budget:
- a personal SEN budget is a sum of money made available to an educational setting by a local council, above and beyond the basic funding settings receive for all children and young people (top up funding), to allow them to meet a child or young person's educational need. This budget will be used to support a child or young person to achieve pre-agreed educational outcomes. The need for a personal budget is considered as part of the statutory assessment. If you have questions about this you can talk to your lead worker if you have one, or call our single point of Contact us.
- a personal social care budget is the money that can be made available if a child or young person is assessed as needing additional support at home or in their community. This assessment is carried out by a social care team.
- a personal health budget is the money that can be made available to a child or young person with complex, long-term and/or life-limiting health conditions, who is assessed as needing continuing health care.
For more information please visit: Using direct payment.
Wiltshire's Short Breaks Scheme, designed in consultation with parents and carers, enables eligible children and young people, who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), support to access activities and leisure opportunities.
For more information please visit:
Previously you may have accessed Disabled Living Allowance (DLA), this is only available up to 16 years of age now.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have both:
- a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition
You can get PIP even if you're working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
All information can be found by visiting:
GOV.UK: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (opens new window)
The Household Support Fund (HSF) was put in place by the government to help households that would otherwise struggle to buy food, pay essential utility bills, or meet other essential living costs during the current cost-of-living challenges.
The fund is intended to cover a wide range of low-income households in need including:
- families with children of all ages
- pensioners
- unpaid carers
- care leavers
- households with a disability
- homeless
- Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Boater communities
- as part of the Armed Forces Covenant, we will also ensure there is support for those who are serving, have served and their families where need has been identified
You do not have to be receiving benefits to be eligible for support from the HSF.
All information can be found at Family Fund Trust: Who do we help? (opens new window).
If you or someone living in your property is permanently disabled you may qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) towards the cost of providing adaptations and facilities to enable the disabled person to continue to live there. Such grants are given by the council under Part I of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and are means-tested except in the case of adaptations for children.
There are strict eligibility criteria for Disabled Facilities Grants.
Mandatory grants - include access into and around the property and the main rooms used by the disabled person, safety of the disabled person and adapting the heating and lighting controls
Discretionary grants - In certain circumstances this provides a top up if the grant exceeds £30,000. If you require further information about this please contact the Private Sector Housing Team (PSHT).
All the information you need can be found on:
The Wiltshire Community Foundation (opens new window) is a registered charity and grant making trust. They offer financial assistance to young people who want to make the most of their potential. They offer a variety of funds to help support 0 to 25 year olds across Wiltshire.
The scholarship grant support students who want to gain an Undergraduate University degree. The offer a "scholarship programme" providing grants of up to £5000 per annum for the duration of the student's course. Students must be aged between 17 & 24 at the time of application.
Full information can be found at Wiltshire Community Foundation (opens new window).
This grant places all the emphasis on vocational training. It makes grants to individuals aged between 16 and 25. Applicants must usually have lived within the boundaries of Swindon or Wiltshire Councils for 5 years and the applicant or their parents/carers or guardians must be in receipt of means tested benefits. Grants are available up to £1000. The Foundation is particularly keen to fund "tools of the trade" or vocational training.
Full information can be found at Wiltshire Community Foundation (opens new window).
The scholarship grant support students who want to gain an Undergraduate University degree. The offer a "scholarship programme" providing grants of up to £5000 per annum for the duration of the student's course. Students must be aged between 17 & 24 at the time of application.
Full information can be found at Wiltshire Community Foundation (opens new window).
Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability.
The support you get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for:
- a grant to help pay for practical support with your work
- support with managing your mental health at work
- money to pay for communication support at job interviews
For more information please visit the following information page:
The discretionary housing payment scheme provides limited funding to support customers who, because of their specific circumstances, are unable to cover their housing costs through regular housing support. The aim is to reduce the risk of homelessness and support the stability of families and communities in line with the council's goal to build sustainable communities and protect the most vulnerable in society.
For young people with an EHCP who are considering moving on to university study, more details can be found by visiting the government information pages:
Information and advice on what you might need to consider while in hospital. Disability Rights UK: Benefits while in Hospital (opens new window).
National Government have a central website with the most accurate and up to date information on all kinds of benefits and monetary supports. Including:
- Blind person's allowance
- Carer's allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
They also have helpful tools like:
- Benefits calculator
- Complaints procedures
More information on the GOV.UK: Carers and disability benefits (opens new window) website.
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