If you or a loved one is living with a disability in the UK, you’re likely facing extra costs for equipment, home adaptations, or everyday living expenses. The good news is that there are hundreds of charitable trusts and government schemes offering grants that you don’t have to repay.
This guide brings together the top disability grants available in the UK for 2026 — from major government programmes to specialist charitable foundations.
Whether you need help with mobility equipment, home adaptations, holiday breaks, or workplace support, there’s likely a grant out there for you.
1. Buffett Disability Grant
Best for: General disability support and financial assistance
The Buffett Grant is a charitable fund providing financial support to disabled individuals and their families across the UK.
The grant assists with a wide range of needs, from essential living costs to specialist equipment and care support.
- How to apply: Visit https://www.buffettgrant.com/apply-for-grants/
- Eligibility: Open to UK residents with a disability or long-term health condition
2. Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)
Best for: Major home adaptations like wet rooms, stairlifts, ramps, and accessible bathrooms
The Disabled Facilities Grant is a government-funded scheme that helps disabled people adapt their homes to live more independently.
- Maximum grant:
- England: £30,000
- Wales: £36,000
- Northern Ireland: £25,000
- 2026/27 budget: £723 million nationally
- Eligibility: Means-tested; open to owner-occupiers and tenants
- How to apply: Contact your local housing authority
3. Access to Work
Best for: Employment support — equipment, workplace adjustments, and travel to work
Access to Work is a government-funded grant scheme that helps disabled people get or stay in work.
- Maximum support: Up to £69,260 per individual per year
- Monthly rate (2026/27): £559 per month (£6,708 per year)
- Eligibility: You must be in paid work, or about to start work
- Waiting times: Currently around 37 weeks for new applications (as of June 2026)
- How to apply: Via the gov.uk website
4. Motability Foundation
Best for: Vehicle adaptations, driving lessons, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles
The Motability Foundation provides grants to disabled people for vehicle adaptations, driving lessons, or leasing a car through the Motability Scheme.
In 2026 alone, they provided 3,376 driving lessons grants totalling £5.6 million, and 10,473 grants to Motability Scheme customers worth £59.3 million.
- Eligibility: Means-tested
- How to apply: Visit motabilityfoundation.org.uk or call 0800 500 3186
5. Family Fund
Best for: Families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children
Family Fund is the UK’s largest charity providing grants for families raising disabled or seriously ill children. Last year, they provided 88,407 grants worth over £33 million.
- What they fund: Kitchen appliances, sensory toys, family breaks, bedding, tablets/computers, furniture, and clothing
- Eligibility: Low-income families with a disabled or seriously ill child under 18 (or up to 24 in some cases)
- How to apply: Visit familyfund.org.uk
6. Turn2us
Best for: Finding tailored grants based on your specific circumstances
Turn2us is a UK charity providing a free, searchable database of charitable grants and support for individuals in financial hardship, including disability, carers, and families.
- Tools available: Benefits Calculator and Grants Search tool
- How to use: Visit turn2us.org.uk to search for grants based on your postcode, age, and needs
7. Disability Grants Website
Best for: Self-directed grant searching by category
The Disability Grants website is a comprehensive directory listing hundreds of UK charities and trusts providing financial support for equipment, education, home adaptations, and more.
- Features: Search by category — children, families, adults, holiday grants, disability equipment, housing
- Note: This is a directory only — it does not award funding itself
- How to use: Visit disability-grants.org
8. The 3H Foundation
Best for: Holiday grants for families with a disabled member
The 3H Foundation offers holiday grants to low-income families with a disabled member, enabling them to organise their own UK holiday.
- Grant amount: Typically between £250–£550
- How it works: Grants are paid directly to the accommodation provider
- Eligibility: Low-income UK residents
- How to apply: Visit the3hfoundation.org.uk
9. Caudwell Children
Best for: Autism assessments, mobility equipment, and sensory items for children
Caudwell Children transforms the lives of disabled and neurodivergent children and their families across the UK. They provide family support, autism services, and mobility equipment funding.
- What they fund: Autism assessments, mobility equipment, sensory packs, and personalised family support
- How to apply: Visit caudwellchildren.com
10. Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
Best for: Research into learning disabilities and care for those affected
The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund provides grants for general work and research with people with learning disabilities, including autism.
- General grants: Over £5,000 — next deadline 31 August 2026
- Small grants: Applications may be submitted at any time
- How to apply: Via the Fund website bailythomas.org.uk
How to Apply for a Disability Grant
Step 1: Check Your Entitlements First
Most charities will expect you to have applied for all the benefits, local authority support, and other help you’re legally entitled to before approaching them for a grant.
Step 2: Search for the Right Grant
Use tools like Turn2us or the Disability Grants website to find grants tailored to your needs.
Step 3: Read the Terms and Conditions
Make sure you fully understand whether you qualify before you apply. You might need to provide a report from a professional, such as an occupational therapist or a social worker, or include detailed information about your finances.
Step 4: Complete the Application
Contact the awarding bodies and fill in the application forms. If you need help with the paperwork, an advocacy organisation might be able to assist.
Final Thoughts
Navigating disability grants in the UK can feel overwhelming, but there is significant support available in 2026.
From the £723 million Disabled Facilities Grant budget to thousands of charitable grants from organisations like the Buffett Grant, Family Fund, and Motability Foundation, help is out there.
Start with the Buffett Grant at https://www.buffettgrant.com/apply-for-grants/ — then explore the other options on this list to find the support that’s right for you.
Disclaimer: Grant eligibility, amounts, and deadlines are subject to change. Always check the official website of each organisation for the most up-to-date information before applying.
