SEND Local Offer: Loans and grants

Grants

A grant is money that is given to you for a specific purpose.

You can receive a grant from either:

You do not need to pay a grant back.

Grants available for children and young people with SEND are:

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund can help with education-related costs if you are aged 16 to 19.

The grant can help towards:

There are two types of 16 to 19 bursaries:

You may be able to get a bursary if you either:

are in or recently left local authority care
get Income Support or Universal Credit because you’re supporting yourself financially
get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in your name and either:
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit
you get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in your name and either:
- ESA
- Universal Credit

The amount you may get depends on the costs you have and what you need for your course. This might include money for:

Your school or college will have their own criteria for discretionary bursaries.

They’ll look at your individual circumstances. This usually includes your family income.

You should ask student services about their criteria and any evidence you’ll need.

You can apply for a discretionary bursary if you’re over 19 and either:

are continuing a course you started aged 16 to 18 (known as being a ‘19+ continuer’)
have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

Disability Grants: An organisation that helps you find disability grants that you may be eligible for.
Family Fund: Provides a range of grants to families who are caring for a disabled or seriously ill child or young adult on a low income.
Isleworth & Hounslow charity: A local charity that provides one-off grants for residents of Hounslow in times of need.
Newlife: The UK’s largest provider for specialist equipment for disabled children.
Turn2us: A charity that has a grant search tool, finding grants that you may be eligible for.
WellChild: A charity that provides support to children and young people with complex health needs.
Wizzybug Loan Scheme: A scheme that provides powered wheelchairs for disabled children under five years old.

You may be entitled to grants or schemes that can help towards transport, such as:

You can find more about help towards transport on our Travel schemes and passes webpage.