A guide for parents
Practical and financial help
01
Start with the pressures you face
Hospital care can affect income and create travel, food, accommodation and childcare costs. Ask the ward or specialist nurse about social work, family support and local help. Ask for help finding a benefits or money adviser. You do not have to know which scheme applies first. What you can claim depends on where you live, your circumstances and your child’s care needs.
02
What happens next
Check current schemes
The NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme may help eligible families with travel for qualifying NHS care. It does not automatically cover all visits or costs; check the current rules and keep relevant receipts. Children’s Heart Federation lists financial-advice and funding routes, but its page says it is currently unable to provide family grants. A listing on a website does not guarantee that funding is available.
Prepare for an advice conversation
Make a short list of what has changed: work hours, repeated journeys, extra supervision, feeding equipment or other daily needs. Ask what evidence is useful and whether a professional can help describe the care your child actually requires. The diagnosis alone does not tell you whether you can claim help.
Before spending money that you hope to claim back, check the rules with the hospital, adviser or scheme. If forms feel overwhelming, say so and request help. Ask about accommodation and travel options before an admission when possible, and let the team know if costs are making it hard to attend care.
03
Questions to ask
Save the questions you want to take to your next appointment. You can edit them in your Journal.
- Could we speak with a social worker or benefits adviser about the practical pressures on our family?
- Which costs might we be able to get help with, and how do we check the rules and apply?
- What records or receipts should we keep for applications, and who can help if the paperwork feels overwhelming?
Sources and review
Sources checked 9 October 2026. Independent clinical review pending.
- Children’s Heart Federation: Financial and grant guidance
Accessed 9 October 2026
- Great Ormond Street Hospital: Flamingo Ward
Accessed 9 October 2026
- NHS: Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme
Accessed 9 October 2026