SEND Directory

Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you are 16 or older and have a physical or mental health condition or disability.

You can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to help with the costs of a course at a college or training provider in England.

Loan eligibility does not depend on your income and there are no credit checks.

If you’re studying a level 3 qualification, you might be eligible for an ‘Adult Education Budget’ grant instead of an Advanced Learner Loan. If you get a grant, you do not need to repay it. Ask your college or training provider about grants before you apply for a loan.

Lifeline 4 Kids is a London-based charity that provides life-changing equipment for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

Parents and caregivers can apply for various types of specialised equipment, such as electric wheelchairs, mobility aids, iPads, and more. 

Please visit their website for the latest information on how to apply and what equipment is available.

• Application for help webpage

Newlife is the UK’s largest charitable provider of specialist equipment for disabled children.

Newlife offers a lifeline for families, providing life-changing and life-saving equipment when and where its needed. Alongside equipment, they campaign to improve the outlook for disabled children and change lives. They support parents, work with health professionals and strive for a future where all disabled children get the equipment they need and deserve.

Rapid Effective Assistance for Children with potentially Terminal illness (REACT) is a dynamic charity working to improve the quality of life for children with life-limiting illnesses living in financially disadvantaged households throughout the UK.

Helping children with life-shortening illnesses, React works to give children comfort, dignity, and, where possible, greater independence. 

Some of their support includes:

Sunny Days Children's Fund is a national registered charity that raises funds to help children under 18 with a wide range of adverse medical conditions, including Leukaemia, Cerebral Palsy, the Deaf and Blind, Terminal Illnesses, and all other life-hindering conditions.

They provide small grants to help as many children and their families as possible, whether for day trips, medical equipment, respite, hospital travel, or making children's remaining time as comfortable as possible, to include, where achievable, children's last wishes.

Find out if you're eligible for free NHS prescriptions and any help with other NHS costs, including sight tests and NHS dental treatment.

You may qualify for one of the following council tax discounts, reductions, or exemptions:

Help if you're a undergraduate or postgraduate student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

Information from Haringey's Social Care and Health Service on equipment, adaptations, occupational therapy and help with hearing and sight loss.