Cost-of-living crisis: Northern Ireland charity set up to help families with disabled children in need runs out of money following surge in demand

Family Fund NI, who help thousands of families across Northern Ireland with grants to supply essential items such as computers, tablets, kitchen appliances, and family breaks, announced its funding had run out on Tuesday following a surge in demand.

In a statement, posted to social media website Twitter, a spokesperson for the charity said: “Due to the high volume of applications we’ve received from families in Northern Ireland over the last year, we have no further funding available at present. We are sorry that we are not able to help with your grant application at this time, when things are so challenging.“We are working hard to secure future funding to support you with the additional costs you face to raise your child, made even harder with the current cost of living crisis.”East Londonderry MLA Claire Sugden has now appealed to the Department of Health to step in.In a statement, the independent MLA said: “Every household in Northern Ireland is feeling the pressures of the cost of living crisis, but those pressures are increased further when raising a disabled or seriously ill child."I have written to the permanent secretary of the Department of Health to see what flexibility exists for increasing funding for the Family Fund in this interim period.”She added: “Without concrete steps to bridge this gap, many families and their children will be left without an important lifeline during these increasingly difficult times.”