Provide day 1 financial support to parents caring for a seriously ill child

Parents often struggle for financial support should they find themselves with a seriously ill child. There is a gap before parents of seriously ill children can apply for financial help. Currently, approximately 4,000 children in the UK spend more than 60 days in hospital every year. If the government were to provide support to those 4,000 parents each year for a 3 month period to support them with the costs before they are eligible for DLA, we don't think it would cost the government much compared to what is spent on other things. We are asking for a day 1 non-means tested grant available for the parents of seriously ill children.