Financial assistance awards
Whether you’re a patient yourself or family member, knowing that there is someone out there who can support you, even in a small way can make a huge difference.
Kidney patients have worries that extend beyond their health. At Kidney Wales we are all too aware of this and offer financial support through our financial assistance grants and wellbeing food voucher grants.
Through these grants we aim to alleviate financial worries, ensuring patients can focus fully on treatment and living their best life.
Financial assistance grants
What are financial assistance grants from Kidney Wales?
Our financial assistance grants are to help support kidney patients when they are experiencing financial hardship, related to or resulting from the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Each application will be reviewed to assess if the request meets our requirements for a grant award.
Who can apply for a Kidney Wales grant?
Applications will only be accepted from health care professionals, submitted on behalf of patients, using a registered NHS/Health Board e-mail address.
Applications are expected to be submitted primarily by Renal Social Workers or Clinical Psychologists, but applications from other members of the patient’s kidney care team may also be considered.
What kind of things are funded?
Grants for financial assistance are very flexible and, based on the expert assessment and recommendation of a Renal Social Worker or Clinical Psychologist, are designed to meet the specific needs and circumstances of individual patients at a specific point in time.
Typically grants may be awarded for items where financial assistance is needed, such as:
- To cover rent/utilities arrears
- Emergency food vouchers
- White goods, (e.g., washing machines, microwaves, fridge freezers
- Essential/replacement furniture or household repairs
- Laptops to enable patients to undertake education or training
- Travel costs associated with treatment or to things such as job interviews (under certain circumstances).
Applications for funding will not be accepted for:
- Cash donations for patients
- Non-essential goods or services
- Contributions towards holidays
Kidney Wales’s policy is to pay the supplier of goods or services on behalf of patients. Cash donations are never given directly to patients.
What is the maximum amount you can apply for?
Kidney Wales has a designated pot of funding for financial assistance, which is reviewed at the beginning of each financial year. There is no lower limit to the amount requested, but we do have a maximum limit of £500.
In assessing the application for funding, staff and trustees will consider:
- Benefit to the individual
- Total amount of funding available to the Welsh kidney community
A healthcare professional can apply on behalf of the same patient once per 12-month period.
Renal Social Worker Laura said:
The Kidney Wales financial assistance grants mean so much to patients. Knowing they are available to support when someone is really in need is so important. Kidney Wales have been so flexible over the years and have supported patients with food vouchers, fridge/freezers when they have broken down, wellbeing vouchers and much more. They respond quickly to grant requests and try to support in whatever way they can. With the current situation with high fuel costs and household bills increasing this means more may need to access grants to help them through this difficult time. Knowing these grants are there to help makes a big difference.
Well-Being Food Vouchers
What is the Wellbeing Voucher Scheme?
At Kidney Wales we are all too aware of the ‘cost of living crisis; that we are currently in. Patients and families are experiencing unprecedented pressures on their physical and mental well-being and possibly their household income.
The purpose of the Kidney Wales Wellness Voucher Scheme is to provide a pot of funding to buy supermarket food vouchers to meet individual needs.
Who can apply for a Kidney Wales wellbeing voucher?
Applications will only be accepted from health care professionals, submitted on behalf of patients, using a registered NHS/Health Board e-mail address. Applications are expected to be submitted primarily by Renal Social Workers or Clinical Psychologists, but applications from other members of the patient’s kidney care team may also be considered.
What can the vouchers be used for?
The vouchers can be supplied by post or as an e-voucher.
The vouchers can be used in one of the following stores:
- Supermarket food vouchers from eg Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons
Applications for funding will not be accepted for:
- Cash donations for patients
What is the maximum amount you can apply for?
Kidney Wales has a designated pot of funding for wellbeing food vouchers, which is reviewed at the beginning of each financial year. For the financial year of 23/24 we have allocated a total of £10,000 into this funding pot.
Each voucher issued will be for a maximum of £100, meaning that we have a total of 100 vouchers available.
If you are in a vulnerable position and you think Kidney Wales may be able to help, please reach out to your local renal social worker and they can begin the process of requesting support on your behalf. Patients and families will not be able to claim without a social worker or health care professional completing our financial assistance form.
For more information please contact us on: