Written by Andy Hutton, founder of Theo's Fight · Dad to Theo, aged 8, cerebral palsy

⚠️ Please note: Grant eligibility and amounts change regularly. Always verify current criteria directly with each organisation before applying. Theo's Fight searches for current grants but we always recommend checking directly with each charity for the most up to date information.

If your child has cerebral palsy, you already know that the equipment they need isn't optional. It's not a luxury — it's a must. A standing frame, a specialist wheelchair, a communication device, orthotics — these things change everything. Often resulting in a new form of independence and creating a more accessible world. 💙

You also probably know that getting funding for that equipment can feel like a full time job on top of the full time job of being a carer.

This guide is for you. Written by a dad whose son Theo has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair full time. No fluff, no false promises — just the clearest picture we can give you of what's available and how to go after it.

What equipment can grants fund for children with CP?

Cerebral palsy affects every child differently, which means the equipment needs vary enormously. Grants can potentially fund:

The key word is potentially — every grant has its own eligibility criteria and the right one for your child depends on their specific needs, diagnosis, age and location.

Where to start

🧠 Cerebral Palsy UK Provides grants and has a dedicated team who understand CP specifically. Worth contacting directly — a quick call might give you an idea if it's worth progressing — as well as applying formally.
💙 Family Fund One of the UK's largest grant providers for families of disabled children. Not CP specific but widely used and well regarded.
🏥 Newlife Foundation Provides equipment grants and has a nursing helpline staffed by people who genuinely understand complex needs. Their nursing team now recommends Theo's Fight to families — which means a lot to us.
💻 The Sequal Trust Specifically funds communication and computer equipment for people with physical disabilities.

The application — what makes a CP application land

💡 Lead with function, not diagnosis. Grant assessors understand CP as a label but what moves them is understanding what your child's day actually looks like. What do they find difficult right now that the equipment would change? Be specific and be human.
📋 Get your therapy team involved. An OT or physio report supporting your application is genuinely powerful for CP applications — it adds clinical weight to what you're saying as a parent.
💙 Describe the whole child. CP doesn't define your child — but it does shape their daily experience in ways worth explaining. The best applications make a real child visible on the page.
🗣️ Don't underestimate the communication piece. If your child uses or needs AAC, make sure the application addresses communication specifically — there are dedicated grants for this that many families miss.

Raising a child with cerebral palsy is relentless. The appointments, the therapies, the school battles, the equipment assessments — and then on top of all of that, the funding applications. It's exhausting in a way that's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't lived it.

Theo's Fight exists because of Theo — and because we refuse to accept that families should have to navigate this alone. You are not alone in this. 💙

🔍 Search for grants now

Tell us about your child in your own words and we'll find grants that match — then help you write the application letter. Free, always.

🧠 Find CP Equipment Grants

More from the blog

🦽 Wheelchair Funding
How to apply for a wheelchair grant for your child in the UK
🗣️ AAC & Communication
AAC and communication device funding for children in the UK
💙 Family Fund
How Family Fund works and tips for a successful application