Together for Short Lives
The UK’s Leading Charity for Children Living with Serious Illness and Their Families
Who It’s For: Families caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions across the UK, and the siblings, grandparents and wider family networks around them. Also relevant to professionals providing children’s palliative and hospice care.
What They Offer: Together for Short Lives is the leading UK-wide charity for children’s palliative care, supporting families to make the most of every moment they have together — whether that is years, months or only hours. They provide a free family helpline, a comprehensive online Family Support Hub, Butterfly Grants for families in financial need, and information on welfare benefits, energy bills, holidays, grants and wish-fulfilment services. They also work with children’s hospices and palliative care professionals across the UK, campaigning for better-funded and more coordinated services for seriously ill children.
Support Includes:
- Together for Families Helpline — free, confidential phone support for families (not a crisis service)
- Family Support Hub — online resource covering all aspects of caring for a seriously ill child
- Butterfly Grants — financial grants for families of children who have died
- Welfare benefits guidance — help understanding and accessing financial entitlements
- Energy and utilities advice — practical tips to manage household bills safely
- Information on grants, wish-fulfilment services and subsidised holidays for families
- Parent support groups and online Facebook community for families
- Signposting to children’s hospices and specialist palliative care services across the UK
- Support for siblings and wider family members
- Campaigning for improved children’s palliative care services and funding nationally
Referral / Access: Self-referral. No referral needed. Call the free helpline or explore the Family Support Hub online. Helpline open Monday–Friday 10am–4pm. Messages can be left outside these hours and will be responded to as soon as possible. Please note this is not a crisis service — for emergencies contact your care team or call 999.
Why This Matters: When your child has a life-limiting or life-threatening condition, every moment matters — and so does having the right support around your family. Together for Short Lives understands that this journey is not just medical; it is emotional, practical, financial and deeply personal. Whether you need information, someone to talk to, help with bills, or simply to connect with other families who understand, they are here — step by step, hand in hand, for as long as your family needs them.
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