The Young Patients Family Fund

This new fund has merged with the existing Neonatal Expenses Fund (NEF) to create a single unified fund. The new fund now covers children from birth to 18 who are receiving inpatient care, and will cover costs for their parents, anyone with parental responsibility, and siblings under 18.

If you’re the parent, parent substitute or sibling (aged under 18) of a young inpatient under the age of 18 receiving hospital care, you can claim for the costs of travel and food. An inpatient is a patient who lives in hospital while having treatment.

You must claim from the Young Patients Family Fund within 3 months of the young inpatient being discharged from hospital.

Young Patients Family Fund

More information and how to claim here: Young Patients Family Fund

Bliss Scotland Chief Executive, Caroline Lee-Davey, said:  

“This new fund will now mean that parents of premature and sick babies who need hospital care once their neonatal treatment is over will continue to be supported throughout their hospital journey.

“We will continue to work with the Scottish Government to ensure the Fund meets the needs of families and will keep campaigning for the other UK nations to introduce similar support for families with a baby in neonatal care.” 

The Scottish Government has put an initial £5million to support families with the costs of visiting and providing essential care for their children in hospital. – The Young Patients Family Fund

Public Health Minister in the Scottish Government Maree Todd explained:

“When a hospital stay is necessary, families want to focus on the health and wellbeing of their child, without the worry of the financial costs around being there for them.

“This fund will provide support when it is most needed, and is an extension of our Neonatal Expenses Fund, which covers costs for the parents of sick or premature newborn babies.

“The Young Patients Family Fund extends the support to cover the families of all inpatients from birth up to the age of 18.”

Associate Director of Policy, Influencing and Voice at the charity Young Lives vs Cancer Helen Gravestock said:

“When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family’s world turns upside down. Parents often have to stop working, children can be taken out of school and suddenly they have to travel miles for life-saving treatment. The last thing they should be worrying about is how to afford the petrol to be by their child’s bedside.

“On average, families spend an extra £600 every month while their child is having cancer treatment.

“The Young Patients Family Fund will be very much welcomed by children and young people with cancer and their families. Young Lives vs Cancer looks forward to working with colleagues in Scotland to ensure that all eligible families can benefit from it.”