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Financial Support 

Financial Help and Benefits: 

Help Available 

 What can it help with?  Who is it for?  How to access 

NHS Low Income Scheme 

Travel to NHS appointments, prescriptions and dental treatment 

People on low income, people on benefits and students 

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme  
Benefits Calculator Check what benefits you are entitled to Anyone unsure what help they can get 

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/  

https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/ 

https://policyinpractice.co.uk/better-off-calculator/ 
Universal credit Help with living costs, rent, childcare  People on a low income/out of work  https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit
Child Benefit/Child Tax Credit  Financial support to help with costs of raising children  Parents/carers of children https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)  Help with costs of caring for a child with a disability/long term health condition Children under 16 with additional care or mobility needs 

https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children 

Form -https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67a0f71cc58a6a5aa9217653/dla-for-children-claim-form.pdf 

Help with form- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6735e4bb54652d03d5161148/notes-on-how-to-fill-in-the-dla-claim-form-for-children.pdf 
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Help with costs due to disability/long term health conditions Young people aged 16+ and adults https://www.gov.uk/pip

Loans and Grants:

Type of Support 

 What it offers  Important to know  How to apply 

Budgeting Loans

Interest free loan

For people receiving universal credit. Must be paid back within 2 years

 https://www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits/how-to-apply 
Credit Unions/Fair for you  Affordable, flexible loans and credit  Designed for people on low income 

https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/ 

https://www.fairforyou.co.uk/ 
Greggs Hardship Fund Food, clothing, appliances and energy vouchers As this is a grant, it does not need to be paid back  https://www.greggsfoundation.org.uk/grants/hardship-funding 

Independent Food Aid Network 

White goods, essential household items + more 

Find local help in your area 

 https://www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/ 
Buttle UK  Up to £2400 for children affected by crisis  For children and young people  https://buttleuk.org/ 

 Household, Utility, Bills and Council Support: 

Support

 What it can help with Where to apply
Household Support Fund Food, energy, bills and essential items

Slough - https://www.slough.gov.uk/benefits-support/household-support-fund/2 

Windsor - https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/household-support-fundhttps://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/household-support-fund 

Buckinghamshire - https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living/household-support-fund/ 

Surrey - https://surreycoalition.org.uk/household-support-fund-for-parents-carers/ and/or https://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/community/care-and-support/cost-living-support-here-you/money-worries-help-and-advice/household-support-fund 

Hampshire - https://www.hants.gov.uk/communitygrants 

Bracknell - https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/household-support-fund

Council Tax Reduction 

Reducing your council tax payments 

 https://www.gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction 
Energy Bills  Support from your energy supplier Contact your provider directly 
Water Bills  Reduced water bills through social tariffs  https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/account-and-billing/financial-support 
British Gas  Grants for energy costs  https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/grants-available/ 
Mortgage/rent Support  Help if you are struggling with mortgage/rent payments 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mortgage-charter/mortgage-charter 

https://adviceforrenters.org/ 

Essentials, Advice and Connectivity: 

Need help with…

 Support available  How to access 

Advice and Guidance 

Free, confidential advice for debt, housing, benefits 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ 
Furniture & Electrical Items  Low-cost reused goods  https://reuse-network.org.uk/ 
Technology  Free, radios, TVs and tablets  https://wavelength.org.uk/ 
Broadband & Phone Bills  Cheaper social tariffs  https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/social-tariffs
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/social-tariffs 
Finances, essentials and enjoying life more  WHAM Project referral scheme 

https://www.cse.org.uk/referral 

Call the Home Energy Team on 0800 082 2234 

Support to attend your clinic appointments 

Is anything making it difficult for you or your child to attend clinic appointments? Here are some ways we can help, and please speak to your care team if you face other barriers 

Travel  

Did you know that you might be able to claim help with your travel costs through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme? 
Follow this link to access more information: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

Document required:

  • Proof of being in receipt of benefit
  • Travel receipt
  • proof of clinic appointment
  • Directions to the clash office

Communication and Education Preferences

To help you get the most from your appointments, we’d like to understand your preferred ways of learning and communicating. 

Please let us know what you and your child’s preferences are for:

  • Receiving Education: Verbal/visual in videos or Picture/written
  • Methods of communication: face to face, video calls, phone calls, emails, specific time of the day.

It may be helpful to write down questions and bring them to clinic with you. 

Diabetes UK together Type 1 offer one-to-one support, groups and outings with other people with T1D.

Support in accessing food 

Access to Free School Meals 

  • Speak to your school-can they provide a lunch box if your child will miss their free meal due to the attendance of a clinic appointment. 

Food Banks: 

Slough

 Multiple locations across Slough - requires referral
Locations | Slough Foodbank
High Wycombe

Wycombe Food Hub - Discount food for everyone & free options (community fridge) for those struggling
Once can Trust - require referrals One Can Trust - Foodbank serving families in need
Hampshire Hampshire community pantries - Social care and health | Health and social care | Hampshire County Council
Bracknell

Bracknell Foodbank- https://bracknell.foodbank.org.uk/

Crowthorne Foodbank- https://crowthorne.foodbank.org.uk/

Share- https://sharewokingham.co.uk/
Surrey

Surrey Food Support- https://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/community/care-and-support/cost-living-support-here-you/food-support

Surrey Food Bank- https://surreyfoodbank.org/

Healthy eating on a budget

Accessible Diabetes Education 

The following websites provide resources in different languages:

Support for families with limited numeracy/literacy skills  

There are many education videos available online
 

Frimley Health Trust training videos on carbohydrate counting and insulin pumps https://frimley-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/parentscarers/diabetes
Sheffield Hospital: Carbohydrate counting using handy measures, Carbs and Cals, food labels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDwLSFG38Ms
Know Diabetes – videos on all aspects of type 1 and type 2 diabetes www.knowdiabetes.org.uk
Digibete carbohydrate counting videos https://www.digibete.org/carbohydrate-counting/
Southern Health Trust Type 1 diabetes videos  https://www.southernhealth.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-list-of-services/wnhcds/type-1-videos

You can always use the app below to support you if you cannot read: 

  • Speechify (free) can turn text (e.g. turn text in letters or documents/patient information leaflets into speech)  AI Voice Generator, Text To Speech  https://speechify.com/ 

Visual impairments:

  • Would you benefit from a smart watch to read out your glucose readings? 
  • Do you require a meter with large font? The GlucoFix Tech GK meter is helpful.

Cultural Support

We aim to:

  • Respect cultural differences and build trust. 
  • Allocate more time for appointments if any barriers have been identified. This may involve the support of play specialists if available. 
  • Engage with parents, relatives, family/community leaders and any other people involved in your child or young person’s life. ​ 
  • Use easy to understand language and pictures to support education.

Resources:  ​

Access to Technology

We will consider language barriers - options include carrying out pump starts in groups all speaking the same language, use of interpreters, direct patients to industry resources in their own language. 

Buying a phone on a smaller budget:

  • The google pixel 3 is compatible with Libre, Dexcom, Omnipod 5, CamAPS, Tandem T Slim & Medtronic 780G
  • A refurbished device can be purchased for approximately £75

Are you unable to fund the cost of a new phone?

  • SCD Supporting Children with Diabetes can provide a smart phone to patients
  • Families that are not on benefits can also be eligible for this, speak to your team who will need to provide a brief summary of why you child requires a phone and is unable to access one

The good things foundation

  • They aim to reduce digital poverty by providing mobile phone devices, education and data, laptop, mobiles and tablets
  • O2 Windsor, Maidenhead and, Slough – free databank in store you can get a free O2 SIM card with mobile data for people who are struggling with data poverty.
  • Free digital skills training – o2 Windsor, Marlow library, High Wycombe library

Support for children living with Neurodivergence 

Stress can Impact on diabetes and stress can be more intense for children living with autism or ADHD. 

  • We provide clinic staff names and photos in the waiting room.
  • We have created a clinic journey for you to familiarise yourselves.
  • We keep small talk to a minimum as we are aware.
  • It can be quite challenging for the child or young person.  
  • We minimize the amount of people in the room to be considerate of noise/other sensory stimuli.  

We try to avoid the need to wait in busy waiting rooms by: 

  • Offering alternative waiting area. 
  • Offering 1st appointment of the day.  
  • Offer to wait in the car and call you when we are ready.  
  • Signpost to support services (e.g. National Autistic Society, Autism Oxford) 

We aim to:

  • Ask concrete, closed questions.
  • Share information in a short and concise manner. 
  • Ask one question at a time. 
  • Have familiar faces in clinic appointments.

Adapt any transitions (to new pump, or to transition clinic): 

  • Clear and early discussions about transitions 
  • Explain the rationale behind it. 
  • Longer times to transition to something new. 
  • Familiarise patient with new environment or device. 
  • Make a concrete plan with the young person. 

Special Considerations for Insulin Pump Education

Sensory Sensitivity  

We are aware that:

  • Children, young people and their families require all details relating to HCL management.
  • Some children and young people might be hypersensitive to certain clothing or feeling of ‘something extra’ attached to their body. When they wear something that is uncomfortable – this can result in overstimulation which can lead to significant distress and meltdowns.   
  • Children and young people may find the noise of the alarms difficult to tolerate.  

We may suggest that we:

  • Conduct insulin pump information session in a quiet/comfortable setting (home or a

quiet, comfortable clinic room), to look at different styles, hold them in your hands

and feel them against the skin or attach them to waistband as a trial.

  • Carry out the pump start with just you and your family, instead of in a group setting.

General Support & Advice

The Wham Project https://www.whamproject.co.uk

They offer national resources to support families with money, essentials and enjoy life.

Increase income:

Access Essentials:

Support Wellbeing:

Home start-Helping families through challenging times www.home-start.org.uk

Contact us

If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Paediatrics service.

About this information

Service:
Paediatrics

Reference:
P/114

Approval date:
1 May 2026

Review date:
1 May 2029

Click ‘show accessibility tools’ at the bottom of the page 

Accesibility tools snip.PNG

Then click ‘select language’  

dropdown menu reading 'Select language'

 

Interpreters for your appointment

Alternative formats 

You can use the accessibility toolbar at the bottom of your screen to: 

  • Change the text size 

  • Adjust the font 

  • Modify the colour contrast 

  • Use the translate function 

If you would like this information in another format, such as Braille, audio, or easy read, please speak to a member of staff. 

You can also print as well as download as PDF using the “Print this page” button at the end of the page.  

Staff will print a copy for you on request 

Important note 

This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.