Disabled parent(s) - financial support

Andy2481
Andy2481 Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
edited April 2024 in Families and carers
Hello, I'm a 43yr old man who was born a triple amputee. My wife and I have a 6-month old son and being parents has been the biggest challenge of our lives (but also wonderful too!).

We're really struggling to find any advice/support specifically for families where one parent (or both) is disabled but the child is non-disabled.

We are not eligible for local authority support financially because we are over the savings threshold, but would really appreciate some external funding from somewhere so that we can maintain or maybe increase the childcare help we desperately need.

We're having to pay for a doula to come each week to give my wife some vital respite, because she is doing the vast majority of the childcare whilst also still looking after me to a certain extent and keeping the household running. My wife has had to give up work to look after us all, so we are relying on my self-employed earnings alone.

We've been passed between our local council's adult and children services teams and are getting very frustrated. Are there any charities or grant-giving organisations who might consider us for some financial support?

Having been a disabled child myself many moons ago, I know how hard my parents had to fight for me on various issues, but I'm finding that the support for disabled parents is even less/worse!

Thank you, Andy2481

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    I'm not aware of any grants for childcare. Have you looked at Tax free childcare? There's information here. tax-free-childcare

    There's also 15 hours of free childcare for children from the age of 9 months, which starts in September this year. Although you both need to be working to claim this. or one parent working and the other parent either claiming contributions based/New style ESA or carers allowance. check-eligible-free-childcare-if-youre-working

    Are you claiming any disability benefits for yourself? These are not means tested so savings and earnings do not affect the amount you maybe entitled to. 
  • Andy2481
    Andy2481 Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
    Thank you Poppy.
    I do get PIP but that covers the payments we make to my own occasional PA (who doesn't really want to be responsible for childcare) and my Motability car.
    We are investigating the tax-free childcare (I think we have to wait for my wife's carers allowance to come through) but certainly that will help. And the 15hrs free childcare once he's old enough. It might be the case that things improve generally once he's old enough for nursery, and perhaps it's these past 6 months where we needed more support the most!
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You’re welcome. Once her carers allowance is in payment then you maybe entitled to 15 hours free childcare depending in your earnings. It then increases to 30 hours from the age of 3, again that will depend on your circumstances. 

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