Kidney Care UK
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Hospital Grants programme is open to hospital trusts, renal units, KPAs and other associated bodies or organisations, for better equipment and innovative services, so whether your work fits depends first on whether your organisation is one of those.
- Kidney Care UK's patient grants go to people with advanced kidney disease on lower incomes, not to organisations.
- The charity will only consider Hospital Grants applications where funds are not available from the hospital trust or other relevant authority, and it does not fund projects considered to be core NHS provision.
- It favours innovative projects with evidence of improved care and quality of life, so read its guidelines before applying; its annual giving was £166,211 according to the annual report, and no grant range is stated, so ask about likely amounts before you set a figure.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are peer reviewed by its Grants Committee, which recommends funding to the Board, so allow time for that process.
Overview
Kidney Care UK is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 270288).
Kidney Care UK, established as the British Kidney Patient Association, exists to improve the quality of life for everyone affected by kidney disease. It supports people with kidney disease and their families through practical, emotional and financial help, and funds patient-centred projects to improve kidney care throughout the UK. Its Hospital Grants programme aims to improve patient outcomes by funding improvements to kidney services, and it also gives patient grants to people with advanced kidney disease on lower incomes. According to the annual report, it awarded £166,211 in its most recent year, and over the last five years it has provided over £10 million in funding for 70 hospital renal units around the UK.
What they fund
Priority Areas
Kidney Care UK supports people affected by kidney disease and their families through practical, emotional and financial help, and funds patient-centred projects to improve kidney care services throughout the UK. Through its Hospital Grants programme, it accepts applications from hospital trusts, renal units, KPAs and other associated organisations for better equipment and innovative services that improve patients’ health and wellbeing. Its stated priorities include children and young adults, psychosocial support, patient choice and self-care, patient involvement, end-of-life care, transplantation, patient information and support, and a cohesive kidney community. It favours innovative projects with evidence of improved care and quality of life. It also gives individual grants to people with advanced kidney disease on lower incomes, including help with essential household needs, training and respite.
Themes
- Children and transition
- Psychosocial support
- Patient choice and self-care
- Patient involvement
- End-of-life care
- Transplantation
- Patient information and support
Geographic Focus
UK.
What they don't fund
- Hospital Grants only: projects considered to be core NHS provision
- Patient grants only:
- people whose eGFR is not less than 29% (CKD stages 1–3) and who have not received a transplant
- people who are not legal residents of the UK
- people under the age of 18 who do not have an adult or guardian apply on their behalf
- payments towards bills, such as water and phone bills
- home improvements and building work
- medical equipment
- payments towards council tax payments, fines, credit card or loan repayments
- something which involves ongoing financial commitments
- buying a car
- the cost of travel insurance or dialysis on holiday
- something you have already purchased
How to apply
For the Hospital Grants programme, applications are formally peer reviewed by the expert Grants Committee against published guidelines. The Committee recommends funding to the Board for review and approval.
Who can apply:
- Hospital Grants
- Kidney Care UK accepts grant applications from hospital trusts, renal units, KPAs and other associated bodies or organisations.
- We will only consider grant applications if funds are not available from the hospital trust or other relevant authority.
What to send:
- Patient grants
- A summary of your household finances.
- A letter of support written by a healthcare professional referrer.
- The completed form and supporting documentation.
- Hospital Grants: Read the guidelines before applying.
Applying again: Patient grants: Generally, we do not award more than one grant a year per individual. We recognise circumstances can change and you can apply to our grant scheme at times of need. We will take into account your previous awards and the length of time between awards when deciding on any subsequent applications, so please be honest and clear about your needs.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- It looks favourably on new and innovative projects that show evidence of improving patient care and quality of life for adults and children with kidney disease.
- It particularly welcomes applications that support its stated Hospital Grants priorities.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Kidney Care UK.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £2,014,261 | £4,055,382 | £808,463 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £2,988,810 | £4,426,646 | £547,856 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £3,052,202 | £5,429,930 | £438,226 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £4,123,556 | £6,713,589 | £542,795 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £5,040,719 | £6,686,172 | £166,211 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- kidneycareuk.org · read on 31 October 2026
- kidneycareuk.org/health-professionals/hospital-grants · read on 31 October 2026
- kidneycareuk.org/get-support/patient-grants · read on 31 October 2026
- kidneycareuk.org/about-us · read on 31 October 2026
- kidneycareuk.org/contact-us · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Kidney Care UK?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 0808 801 00 00source
- 01420 541 424source
- 01420 552 698source
- info@kidneycareuk.orgsource
- support@kidneycareuk.orgsource
- fundraising@kidneycareuk.orgsource
- Kidney Care UK 3 The Windmills, St Mary’s Close, Alton,GU34 1EFsource
- Kidney Care UK, 3 The Windmills, St Mary's Close, Alton, GU34 1EFsource
- kidneycareuk.org
- Contact form
Applying to Kidney Care UK?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- 0808 801 00 00source
- 01420 541 424source
- 01420 552 698source
- info@kidneycareuk.orgsource
- support@kidneycareuk.orgsource
- fundraising@kidneycareuk.orgsource
- Kidney Care UK 3 The Windmills, St Mary’s Close, Alton,GU34 1EFsource
- Kidney Care UK, 3 The Windmills, St Mary's Close, Alton, GU34 1EFsource
- kidneycareuk.org
- Contact form