Disability Charities
Census data suggest that there is at least one disabled person in more than one quarter of all UK households. Mobility is the most frequently reported impairment type (47%), followed by stamina, breathing or fatigue (35%), and mental health (32%). As of February 2023, there were 6.3 million people claiming an extra-cost disability benefit in Great Britain, representing 9.6% of the total population.
The charitable sector provides essential services to augment those provided by the statutory authorities. Services available include advice, provision of equipment such as mobility scooters, sporting or leisure activities and employment support. Charities vary in size from those providing national coverage to those focused on a specific neighbourhood. This page includes charities dealing with physical disabilities. Mental health charities can be found here.
Research
UK Disability Statistics: Prevalence and Life Experiences:
House of Commons August 2023 report Selected Charities in this Cause Area
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Established:
26 years
The Panathlon Foundation promote the physical and personal development of young disabled people, through organising school sports competitions and by the provision of resources including coaching, training, equipment and sports leadership opportunities.
Spending: £879,797 5Y Trend: 
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | The EQ Foundation | £75,640 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £50,000 |
Established:
28 years
To demonstrate that children and adults with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour is described as challenging can enjoy normal life opportunities when their behaviour is properly understood and appropriately supported, and to support
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Spending: £516,484 5Y Trend: 
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | The Blagrave Trust | £262,300 |
| Department of Health | £217,796 |
| Paul Hamlyn Foundation | £150,000 |
| Pears Foundation | £100,000 |
| Masonic Trust | £59,201 |
| BBC Children in Need | £44,571 |
Established:
22 years
ECHO provides activities and support for disabled people in Herefordshire. Most activities are suitable for people with moderate or severe learning difficulties, but we try to support anyone who wishes to take part in our activities, including
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Spending: £939,997 5Y Trend:
Herefordshire
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £437,108 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £85,250 |
| Co-Operative Group | £10,123 |
Established:
23 years
Action on Disability's main activity as a charitable company by guarantee is to promote equality of opportunity in the community for all disabled people.This is done through the delivery of high quality services, influencing local and national policy and the removal of barriers to full participation in society.
Spending: £1,252,838 5Y Trend: 
Richmond Upon Thames, Kingston Upon Thames, City Of Westminster, Hammersmith And Fulham, Kensington And Chelsea, Hillingdon, Brent, Hounslow
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £337,851 |
| City Bridge Trust | £270,800 |
| John Lyon's Charity | £125,600 |
| Trust for London | £79,259 |
| Wolfson Foundation | £50,000 |
| Youth Music | £29,400 |
Established:
23 years
Legal advice for disabled people on benefits, housing, debt, community care. Professional advocacy for disabled and older people and carers. Direct payments support service for Lambeth. Into Sport project for disabled people. Employment support project for young Disabled people. Disability Hate Crime policy work.
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Spending: £506,136 5Y Trend: 
Lambeth, Southwark
Supported in last 5 years by: | Henry Smith Charity | £176,000 |
| Trust for London | £128,286 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £99,663 |
| Vision Foundation | £54,976 |
| DCMS | £49,871 |
| Access to Justice Foundation | £24,542 |
Established:
11 years
Advice, information and welfare benefit appeals representation to disabled people, their carers, friends, volunteers on: ? Welfare benefits? Advice and representation at welfare benefit appeal tribunals? Housing and homelessness? Holidays, clubs
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Spending: £285,557 5Y Trend:
Suffolk
Supported in last 5 years by: | Access to Justice Foundation | £343,056 |
| National Lottery Community Fund | £336,392 |
| Three Guineas Trust | £75,000 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £75,000 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £40,000 |
| Suffolk Community Foundation | £24,000 |
Established:
9 years
The Paraorchestra and Friends is a registered charity based in Bristol that aims to further the aims of The British Paraorchestra (the world's first, large-scale professional ensemble for disabled musicians) through an array of ground-breaking musical projects. Artistic Director: Charles Hazlewood.
Spending: £871,879 3Y Trend:
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | Esmee Fairbairn | £502,000 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £130,000 |
| John Ellerman Foundation | £100,000 |
| The Foyle Foundation | £25,000 |
Established:
45 years
Deaf Choices UK aspires to give deaf children improved access to: LANGUAGE by empowering their families to make fully informed choices. LITERACY, by supporting their educators to access information, training and resources. We provide knowledge information and training around the unique benefits, concepts and skills
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Spending: £360,152 5Y Trend:
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £259,611 |
| Henry Smith Charity | £174,600 |
| BBC Children in Need | £122,402 |
| The Aim Foundation | £100,000 |
| The Foyle Foundation | £70,000 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £50,000 |
Established:
27 years
To support, strengthen and improve the quality of life for Essex families with children and young people with any special educational need or disability (SEND), requiring quality advice, information, emotional and practical support, especially at the time of diagnosis or varied transition points. Through 'holistic'
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Spending: £355,645 5Y Trend:
Essex, Southend-on-sea, Thurrock
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £691,072 |
| Access to Justice Foundation | £500,000 |
| Henry Smith Charity | £129,500 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £60,000 |
| BBC Children in Need | £36,000 |
| DCMS | £34,882 |
Established:
22 years
Sparkle (South Wales) Limited under appeal name "the Sparkle Appeal" provides sporting, leisure and support services for the 1200 children with complex disabilities in the Gwent areas and their families. It provides many enhanced services for children with wide ranging disabilities and supports provision of
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Spending: £671,395 5Y Trend:
Torfaen, Newport City, Monmouthshire
Supported in last 5 years by: | Masonic Trust | £60,541 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £50,000 |
Established:
21 years
Buckinghamshire Disability Services (BuDS) is an independent charity which aims to boost independence, accessibility and inclusion by fixing the big issues for all disabled people. Primarily run by disabled people for disabled people, we speak up in defence of their interests and use our experience, specialist
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Spending: £96,858 5Y Trend:
Buckinghamshire
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £168,600 |
| Rothschild Foundation | £96,000 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £75,000 |
| BBC Children in Need | £41,210 |
| DCMS | £36,176 |
Established:
17 years
Attitude is Everything improves Deaf and disabled people's access to live music by working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry to implement a Charter of Best Practice across the U.K.
Spending: £654,591 5Y Trend:
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £914,601 |
| Paul Hamlyn Foundation | £315,000 |
| John Ellerman Foundation | £120,000 |
Established:
11 years
Home visiting advice and advocacy service Disability Hate Crime Prevention ServiceDebates and eventsCraftivism and Chat GroupResponding to consultations and reviews, and representing the voice of Merton's disabled people.
Spending: £327,293 5Y Trend:
Merton
Supported in last 5 years by: | Henry Smith Charity | £297,700 |
| City Bridge Trust | £295,500 |
| Trust for London | £210,679 |
| Three Guineas Trust | £125,904 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £75,000 |
Established:
57 years
Relieveing poverty, the education and religion of people with Learning Disabilities in the City of Plymouth
Spending: £1,528,120 5Y Trend:
Plymouth City
Supported in last 5 years by: | Henry Smith Charity | £204,700 |
Established:
42 years
To support parents and families who care for a disabled child by:- Providing access to good quality advice and information, broad ranging appropriate support and contact with other families which will lead to positive outcomes;- Influencing changes in policy and practice in order to substantially improve the quality of lives of parents and families and their children.
Spending: £8,920,807 5Y Trend:
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales
Supported in last 5 years by: | Pears Foundation | £2,307,360 |
| National Lottery Community Fund | £485,375 |
| Esmee Fairbairn | £401,000 |
| True Colours Trust | £264,330 |
| City Bridge Trust | £226,650 |
| Department of Health | £223,863 |
- Charity Awards 2024 Disability
Established:
31 years
To improve the quality of lives, independence and community integration of disabled spanish and portuguese speaking people, their carers, families and communities living in London through information, advice, advocacy, representation, interpreting,
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Spending: £161,567 5Y Trend:
London
Supported in last 5 years by: | City Bridge Trust | £122,000 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £75,000 |
| London Borough of Southwark | £73,989 |
| Trust for London | £69,300 |
| Home Office | £40,975 |
| The London Community Foundation | £22,213 |
Established:
27 years
Entelechy manages a large portfolio of arts programmes developing inclusive and intergenerational work with people who have profound disabilities
Spending: £478,119 5Y Trend:
London
Supported in last 5 years by: | Esmee Fairbairn | £266,000 |
| City Bridge Trust | £108,180 |
| National Lottery Heritage Fund | £94,773 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £30,000 |
| National Lottery Community Fund | £29,140 |
Established:
24 years
HAD engages in campaigning and service provision for disabled people. HAD promotes and brings about inclusion and equality for all disabled people in all areas of life. HAD engages in social enterprise activities such as providing a British Sign
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Spending: £503,374 5Y Trend:
Harrow
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £285,582 |
| Trust for London | £122,688 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £75,000 |
| City Bridge Trust | £59,259 |
| Power to Change | £15,000 |
Established:
16 years
Your Voice Counts supports people with learning disabilities, individuals experiencing mental health challenges, autistic people and people who are at risk of exclusion due to disability, illness or other challenges. We deliver a range of advocacy and community based services that empower people to have a voice, to have choice and control in their lives and to be connected to the support they need
Spending: £1,287,642 5Y Trend:
Northumberland, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne City, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Redcar And Cleveland
Supported in last 5 years by: | Access to Justice Foundation | £400,000 |
| Henry Smith Charity | £168,000 |
| The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington | £99,894 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £52,250 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £31,500 |
| CAF | £25,000 |
Established:
5 years
The advancement of education of young people with additional needs in vocational and employability skills so as to develop their capabilities that they may grow to full maturity as individuals.Activities include:- - Granting licenses to deliver the DFN Project SEARCH programme in their local area - Providing training and support to deliver the programme- Carry out quality assurance
Spending: £1,934,103 3Y Trend:
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | Henry Smith Charity | £629,000 |
| Pears Foundation | £300,000 |
| Paul Hamlyn Foundation | £96,000 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £90,000 |
| Westminster Foundation | £21,600 |
Established:
15 years
n/a
Spending: £4,675,561 3Y Trend: 
Glasgow City
Supported in last 5 years by: | Esmee Fairbairn | £232,500 |
| John Ellerman Foundation | £118,656 |
| National Lottery Community Fund | £109,210 |
| William Grant Foundation | £50,000 |
| Comic Relief | £29,918 |
| DCMS | £24,496 |
Established:
40 years
Sense exists so that no one who is deafblind or has other complex disabilities is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Across the country, we support children and adults to communicate and experience the world. We provide
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Spending: £90,244,916 5Y Trend:
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £1,394,418 |
| Pears Foundation | £945,234 |
| DCMS | £520,241 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £450,000 |
| Wolfson Foundation | £325,000 |
| Esmee Fairbairn | £193,600 |
Established:
31 years
Springboard's aim is to support children with additional needs and disabilities from birth to 5 years and their families in North Somerset. Our services take place at purpose-built centres in Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare, and in the South Weston area. Springboard also provides an Early Years Inclusion Service and
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Spending: £730,899 5Y Trend:
North Somerset
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £176,517 |
| Henry Smith Charity | £154,500 |
| BBC Children in Need | £90,500 |
| Garfield Weston Foundation | £65,000 |
| Quartet Community Foundation | £40,000 |
| The Foyle Foundation | £20,000 |
Established:
31 years
BDA currently provides various services: (1) Deaf Children, Youth and Families; (2) Deaf Community Advocacy; (3) Deaf Community Development and Empowerment; (4) Deaf Heritage Films; (5) Deaf International; (6) Media, Communications and Membership; (7) Policy, Research and Campaigns; and (8) British Sign Language.
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Spending: £1,095,194 5Y Trend: 
National
Supported in last 5 years by: | National Lottery Community Fund | £893,675 |
| Joseph Rowntree Foundation | £111,648 |
| City Bridge Trust | £96,290 |
| Masonic Trust | £53,725 |
| Greater London Authority | £12,841 |
Established:
25 years
Provides Independent Living services to disabled Londoners aged 16+. ADVOCACY-supporting disabled person to obtain his/her rights. VOLUNTEERING-supports disabled people with befriending, escorting etc. TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT-train disabled people as advocates. Production of e-news to aid employability of disabled people. ACTIVE LIFESTYLE-volunteers support disabled people with sport activities.
Spending: £229,753 5Y Trend:
London
Supported in last 5 years by: | City Bridge Trust | £363,652 |
| Henry Smith Charity | £262,300 |
| Lloyds Bank Foundation | £84,795 |
