Call Us

07368452590

Email Us

Venablesvikki@gmail.com

SEND Family Guidance

Nationwide

Financial Support for Families with SEND

GET STARTED

Do it together with Northants SEND Family Guidance

Raising a child with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) can be expensive. There are appointments, travel costs, therapy sessions, and special equipment to think about.

Thankfully, there are disability benefits and other government benefits for disabled children that can help. These payments are there to support parents and carers with the extra costs of raising children and young people who need additional care or supervision.

At SEND Family Guidance, we help families understand which benefits they can claim and how to apply for them.

Understanding Financial Support for SEND Families

The UK government offers several types of financial support for families with SEND. These benefits recognise that caring for a disabled person often means higher daily costs.

The main types of help include Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and other support from your local authority. Each has its own criteria, but all aim to help families meet the needs of a child with a health condition or disability.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) — also known as Living Allowance DLA — supports children and young people under 16 who need extra help compared to others their age.

It has two parts:

• The care component, which helps with supervision, personal care, or daily routines.

• The mobility component, which helps with travel costs or specialist equipment.

You can claim DLA even if your child does not have a formal diagnosis, as long as their needs are ongoing.

If you live in Scotland, DLA has been replaced by the Child Disability Payment. In Northern Ireland, DLA still applies.

At SEND Family Guidance, we can help you complete your DLA form, collect supporting evidence, and make sure the information clearly reflects your child’s needs.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) — sometimes called the Independence Payment PIP — supports people aged 16 and over who need help with daily living or mobility.

When your child turns 16, they may move from DLA to PIP. The change is not automatic. You must apply when invited by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

PIP looks at how your child’s health condition or disability affects their independence and daily life. It may involve an assessment or interview.

If you need help understanding the questions or collecting evidence, SEND Family Guidance can review your application before you send it.

Other Government Benefits for Disabled Children

In addition to DLA and PIP, there are other government benefits for disabled child support options available. These can include:

• Carer’s Allowance – for parents or carers who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a child who receives DLA or PIP.

• Universal Credit disability elements – extra money to help with daily costs.

• Disabled Facilities Grants – from your local authority for home adaptations like ramps or accessible bathrooms.

• Motability Scheme – if your child gets the higher rate of the DLA or PIP mobility component, you can lease a vehicle through this scheme.

• Benefits calculators – found on Citizens Advice and GOV.UK websites, showing what you could claim.

These disability benefits can make a real difference to everyday life. If you’re not sure which ones you qualify for, we can check and guide you through the process.

SEND Support Services Beyond Financial Help

Financial help is important, but emotional and educational support matters too. Local SEND support services can help you understand your rights, plan for school, and find extra resources.

These services may include:

• SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Services) for free, impartial advice.

• Educational Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children who need special educational support in school.

• Short breaks or respite care arranged through your local authority.

• Local support groups or charities for families and siblings.

SEND Family Guidance can connect you with these services and help you understand how they fit alongside your financial support.

How SEND Family Guidance Can Help

The benefits system can be confusing, but you don’t have to manage it alone.

At SEND Family Guidance, we offer:

• Help with Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) applications

• Advice on other government benefits for disabled children and related disability benefits

• Support with SEND services, including EHCPs and school funding

• Connections to trusted charities, local councils, and information services

Contact SEND Family Guidance today for clear, friendly advice. We’ll help you apply for the support your family is entitled to — and make sure nothing important is missed.

Final Thoughts

Caring for a child with SEND can be challenging, but help is available.

By understanding the government benefits for disabled child and other disability benefits you can claim, you’ll be better prepared to manage costs and plan ahead.

Whether you’re applying for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), moving to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or exploring local SEND support services, having expert guidance saves time and reduces stress.

At SEND Family Guidance, we’re here to help parents and carers find and apply for the right financial support — now and as your child grows. Some benefits even continue beyond childhood and can extend until state pension age, ensuring long-term stability for families who need ongoing help.

Check Out Some Other Useful Links


How to Apply for DLA – A Parent’s Step-by-Step Guide
DLA Evidence Examples – How to Strengthen Your Application
PIP vs DLA: What’s the Difference?

Why Northants SEND Family Guidance?

been through the EHCP process and I have battled the system.

let me help, support, listen and offer guidance in anyway I can.

over 20 years of experience and a special interest in neurodivergence.

A highly rated and qualified Children's Nurse

Seeking assistance in navigating the EHCP process? Share your details, and we'll reach out promptly. Your tailored guidance awaits - we are here to support you!

Upload professional reports. eg One Page Profile, Educational Psychologist, Occcupational Therapy

services offered

EHCP Support

Support with all stages of the EHCP process including:

  • Requests for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment
  • Understanding professional reports
  • Responding to draft EHCPs
  • Ensuring provision is specific, quantified and legally enforceable
  • Advice on suitable educational placements

This service helps ensure your child’s EHCP accurately reflects their needs and protects their support long-term.

Message for information

Critical Review of Draft EHCP

A detailed professional review of your child’s Draft EHCP. This is usually time critical as you only have 15 days to submit your request for amendments.
You will receive a document outlining recommended amendments to ensure:

  • Needs are fully reflected
  • Provision is clearly specified
  • Language is legally enforceable
  • Important support is not missing

This can make a significant difference to whether provision is properly delivered.

Message for information

School Meeting Support

School meetings can sometimes feel intimidating, particularly when important decisions are being made about your child’s education and support. I offer support to parents by helping you prepare for meetings, understand your child’s rights and ensure that the provision outlined in their EHCP is being properly discussed and implemented.

I can also attend meetings alongside you where appropriate, helping to ask the right questions, challenge unclear information and ensure that conversations remain focused on your child’s needs. My role is to help parents feel confident, informed and heard, so that decisions are made in the best interests of the child.

Message for information

DLA and PIP Application Support

Completing forms for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can feel overwhelming, especially when you are already managing the day-to-day needs of your child or family member.
These forms require detailed information about how a condition impacts everyday life, and many families struggle to know how to present this clearly.

I offer support with completing these applications, helping you explain your child’s needs in a way that accurately reflects the level of support required. This can include working through the form with you, helping to word responses appropriately, and ensuring the full impact of your child’s needs is recognised.

My aim is to make the process less stressful while giving your application the best possible chance of success.

Message for information

Child Needs Assessment

I offer a comprehensive assessment of your child’s needs, designed to build a clear picture of their strengths, challenges and the support they require to thrive both at home and in education. This assessment considers areas such as emotional regulation, sensory needs, learning profile, behaviour, communication, and how demands in everyday environments may be impacting your child.

The process includes gathering information from parents, discussing your child’s experiences at home and school, and observing patterns in behaviour, regulation and engagement. Following the assessment, you will receive a written report outlining key areas of need alongside practical recommendations and supportive strategies that can be implemented at home or within school.

This assessment can also help parents better understand their child’s profile, support conversations with schools, and provide useful information when considering additional support or future EHCP applications.

Message for information

More from Northamptonshire Send Family Guidance & Advocacy Service

What does everyone Say?

Vikki put together a comprehensive report which will be incredibly useful going forwards including links to evidence and helpful suggestions for strategies to help both at home and at school. We will definitely be calling on her again for future support. Most importantly she put my son at ease straight away and also made sure to include his positive attributes and strengths in the report - something which is so often left out of the endless forms that can feel so negative.
Heather Smith
Rated 5 out of 5
At first I was very nervous about using this service but I’m very glad I did. My son was on DLA and I needed to apply for PIP, I find the process can be very difficult so really needed help filling in the form and sending the right evidence for his claim. Vikki was amazing, understood my child’s needs and really listened to everything, I feel so much more at ease now it is all complete and would most certainly use her again if needed. Thank You Vikki.
Sarah Aughey
Rated 5 out of 5
Vikki’s knowledge and calm support has been invaluable in both the EHCP process and in face to face meetings with the school. Her background professionally and personally means she has a depth of understanding in both the practical and emotional side of this whole process. If you are unsure if you require Vikki’s services then just drop her a message to enquire, it took a lot of the stress and paperwork time out of the EHCP process for me and I would fully recommend her.
Zoe Ruth
Rated 5 out of 5
I'm so grateful. Vikki is helping me through the process, had meetings with me with staff and SENCO's. She has formulated emails for me, completed so much paperwork and trawled through so much evidence to support the requests for support and ultimately a special school setting. She is so calm and has helped me feel more confident about navigating this process which I feel is a minefield. She is highly professional - I couldn't have got as far as we have without her support. Thank you Vikki.
Victoria B
Rated 5 out of 5
Such an amazing service to find, when running on empty and not knowing what to do for your send child you need all the help and support you can get and that's exactly what Vikki gave me, helped me understand my daughters ehcp, helped me with secondary schools, , helped me get a response for my case worker. Very responsive and professional. Will definitely recommend to other parents.
Cara Tate
Rated 5 out of 5
Having struggled to get any communication or assistance from West Northants Council or the Local Authority for my Autistic Son, I called this service today and was met with the most understanding information and assistance I have received in a LONG time. Huge thanks to Vikki who was incredibly helpful and gave me contact information for departments and places I had no idea even existed, despite having had to fight for the rights and needs of my Autistic Son for years now. This is an excellent service and I highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling to get what their SEND child or family member needs.
Viktoria Brice
Rated 5 out of 5
I'd highly recommend Vikki. She recently did a consultation with our child to help us better understand how we can support them. Vikki quickly built a connection with our child that helped them to relax and she let the meeting run as long as was needed so we didn't feel rushed.
Natalie Breslin
Rated 5 out of 5
Vikki is an absolute gem. I'm so glad I came across her. I was feeling completely overwhelmed and stressed about my child's EHCP amendment, off site schooling situation, and to secure a specialist provision for my Autistic child with a complex needs. I was struggling to get my voice heard by the school and local authority.
Mercy Ozim
Rated 5 out of 5