British Kidney Patient Association

Could British Kidney Patient Association fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants
£5,000 – £30,000
Applications
Accepted
How to apply
Email application
Decisions
Bi annually

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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kidneycareuk.org

About British Kidney Patient Association

Kidney Care UK, formerly the British Kidney Patient Association, is the UK's leading kidney patient support charity, founded in 1975 by Elizabeth Ward following her son's kidney treatment. Its mission is to ensure no one faces kidney disease alone, providing practical, emotional, and financial support alongside national campaigning. The charity values compassion, empowerment, and amplifying the patient voice, partnering with renal services while advocating at policy levels for better care. The charity funds two grant streams: Patient Grants for individuals severely impacted by kidney disease on a low income, covering items like equipment, transport, training, and events; and Hospital Grants for hospital trusts, renal units, and kidney patient associations, supporting equipment, capital works, salaries, project delivery, and training. Their work is UK-wide, with a priority focus on children and young adults, psychosocial support, patient choice and home therapies, end-of-life care, transplantation, and patient information.

What British Kidney Patient Association funds

Kidney Care UK funds two distinct grant streams. Patient Grants support individuals severely impacted by kidney disease, covering costs such as equipment, transport, training, events, and emergency needs. Hospital Grants support hospital trusts, renal units, and kidney patient associations across the UK, funding equipment, capital works, salaries, project delivery, and training. The charity prioritises work that supports children and young adults, including transition; psychosocial support; patient choice including shared and self-care and home therapies; patient involvement and empowerment; end of life care; increasing transplantation; improving the quality of and access to patient information and support; and supporting a stronger, more cohesive kidney community. All funded work must take place in the UK.

Who can apply

Kidney Care UK accepts applications from two types of applicant. Patient Grants are for individuals severely impacted by kidney disease who are on a low income, with income and savings thresholds used to determine need. Hospital Grants are for hospital trusts, renal units, kidney patient associations, and other associated bodies or organisations. The charity particularly welcomes applications that support its priority groups, including children and young adults, and those needing psychosocial support, patient choice, end of life care, or transplantation. Applicants must be based in the UK.

What British Kidney Patient Association doesn't fund

Kidney Care UK does not fund bills (water, phone), medical equipment for individuals, council tax, fines, credit card or loan repayments, ongoing financial commitments, travel insurance, dialysis on holiday, or items already paid for. For Hospital Grants, the charity will only consider applications if funds are not available from the hospital trust or other relevant authority, and is unlikely to fund projects considered to be core NHS provision.

How they like to fund

Kidney Care UK makes grants directly to suppliers of goods or services, rather than to the applicant. Patient Grants are generally one-off, with the charity not awarding more than one grant per individual per year. The charity welcomes unsolicited approaches. Hospital Grants may support capital works, salaries, and project delivery, but must not duplicate core NHS provision.

How much does British Kidney Patient Association give?

British Kidney Patient Association runs 2 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

£5,000 – £30,000

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 31 sourced facts

Hospital Grants
  • Online application form
Patient GrantsRolling applications
  • Online application form
  • Single-year grants

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What British Kidney Patient Association funds — and what they won't

Their stated priorities

We particularly welcome applications that support our priorities: children and young adults, including transition; psychosocial support; patient choice including shared and self-care and home therapies; patient involvement and empowerment; end of life care; increasing transplantation; improving the quality of and access to patient information and support; supporting a stronger, more cohesive kidney community.

Where they fund
UK
Costs they'll cover
EquipmentCapital works & buildingsSalariesProject deliveryTrainingTransportEventsEmergency funding
They don't fund
Capital works & buildingsTransportIndividualsRegistered charitiesCIOsCICsCompanies limited by guaranteeUnincorporated associationsTrustSchoolFaith groupsCommunity groupsSocial enterprisesCommunity benefit societies
The full exclusions list (2)
  • We will only consider grant applications if funds are not available from the hospital trust or other relevant authority. We are unlikely to fund projects considered to be core NHS provision.
  • Cannot fund bills (water, phone), medical equipment, council tax, fines, credit card/loan repayments, ongoing financial commitments, travel insurance, dialysis on holiday, or reimburse items already paid for.

Good to know

FaithNo restriction
Focus areas
HealthChildren & youth

How to apply to British Kidney Patient Association

British Kidney Patient Association takes applications via email application.

  • Published programme route: online application form.
  • Decisions are typically bi annually.
  • Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

What British Kidney Patient Association's application asks

We hold the 6 questions from British Kidney Patient Association's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.

Question 1

State purpose for which a grant is required:

Question 2

Amount requested:

4 more questions from their form, plus answers drafted from your charity's real data if you decide to apply.

How it works

  1. 1
    Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
  2. 2
    See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
  3. 3
    Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if British Kidney Patient Association could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does British Kidney Patient Association provide?

British Kidney Patient Association typically provides grants of £5,000 - £30,000.

Where does British Kidney Patient Association fund charities?

British Kidney Patient Association funds charities operating in UK.

Does British Kidney Patient Association accept unsolicited applications?

British Kidney Patient Association accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does British Kidney Patient Association not fund?

Their published exclusions include: We will only consider grant applications if funds are not available from the hospital trust or other relevant authority. We are unlikely to fund projects considered to be core NHS provision.; Cannot fund bills (water, phone), medical equipment, council tax, fines, credit card/loan repayments, ongoing financial commitments, travel insurance, dialysis on holiday, or reimburse items already paid for.. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from British Kidney Patient Association?

British Kidney Patient Association takes applications via email application. Published programme route: online application form.

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Could British Kidney Patient Association be a fit?

Check free. Draft if yes, or shortlist better matches.