Short Break Grant
A Short Break Grant is a payment from the Service for Disabled Children to help pay for services for your disabled child.
The grant is £1,000 per year and can be used for services for a disabled child aged 8 to 17.
If the grant is agreed part way through the financial year (1 April to 31 March), you will receive the relevant proportion of funding.
The grant should be used for services that provide:
- an enjoyable play or leisure opportunity for your child
- a chance for parents to have a short break from their caring responsibilities
- opportunities for children and young people to meet with their friends
- opportunities for your child to learn or develop a skill
Examples of services
Up to a total of £200 in any one financial year can be used for your child’s expenses for a family holiday or school residential trip. This includes travel and accommodation costs.
Travel costs to and from the activity or service - public transport, taxis or petrol allowance of 45p per mile.
The Services Short Break Grant can contribute to:
- playschemes
- holiday activity groups and clubs
- after school activity groups and clubs
- weekend activity groups and clubs
- home care agencies
The Services Short Break Grant cannot be used to fund:
- academic tuition (for example, maths or english tuition)
- your own support worker or carer employed by you - you may use the grant to fund a support worker or carer from a Home Care Agency
- therapies
- meals, snacks and drinks
- fees or entrance tickets for other family members
- clothing
- computer games and consoles
- books and toys
- subscription services and apps (for example, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Playstation, GooglePlay)
- horse riding
- skiing
- Guide and Scout membership
- drama
- music and art lessons
- quasar
- boating and boat trips
- swimming
- ice skating
- soft play
- bowling
- cinema and theatre
- swimming lessons
- entrance fees (for example, for museums and theme parks)
- gym membership
- activities when on holiday
- school trips (such as the theatre)
For information about services and support, see the Local Offer.