Families with disabled or seriously ill children in Glasgow have the chance to get much needed funding from a UK wide charity.

The Family Fund is distributing cash for essential items with money secured from the Scottish Government.

The Family Fund’s Cost of caring report found nine in 10 families are struggling or falling behind with their regular household bills and many are forced to forego living essentials such as food, heating, basic furniture like beds, flooring, washing machines and fridges, to try to make ends meet.

A family from Glasgow is one of many who has benefited from the fund, previously.

Six year-old Reece lives in the city with his mother Olivia and his older Brother Justice.

The fund helped the family with grants for sensory equipment, a fridge freezer and a holiday.

Olivia said they were given a sensory grant to buy a colour changing bubble to hep calm him.

They also got cash for a fridge freezer when their old one broke down , which allowed Olivia to buy a better one.

And a family break grant allowed them to take a holiday at Haven in Arshire.

Olivia said: “The cost of living crisis has greatly impacted the cost of my bills. We haven’t been able to afford other things as much as we used to. I can barely buy a full basket of food nowadays so I have to improvise my cooking. Sometimes I have to leave myself out of the meal and just eat snacks so that my children can eat.”

“Family Fund is very helpful, especially to families on a low income. Without the grants we wouldn’t be able to afford things so important to a child’s development.”

Cheryl Ward, Chief Executive of Family Fund, said: “We urge eligible families in Scotland to come forward with an application to secure help through these difficult winter months.

“Our research shows it costs three times as much to bring up a disabled child as other children, with many families unable to increase their income due to round-the-clock caring responsibilities.

“As prices continue to rise and winter approaches, many families tell us they are gravely worried about how they will survive the coming months.

“Family Fund is here for support now so please come forward to apply.”

Last year, Family fund provided 170,919 grants and services worth more than £37 million to families across the UK.

Eligible families in Scotland are encouraged to apply as soon as possible by visiting Grants.Scotland/Family Fund or calling 01904 550055.