Grants for rehab are available in the UK. Grants enable individuals to fund treatment costs. What causes people to be hesitant to utilise treatment grants are 1) the mistaken assumption that the application process is complicated, and 2) these grants may have to be paid back at a future time.
With a growing number of drug users suffering from alcohol use disorders (AUDs), individuals seeking family therapy or private help for alcohol addiction can access grants for alcohol treatment.
Financial assistance can also be a deciding factor for getting into a local rehab or not.
Grants For Alcohol Rehabilitation
Some grants come in the form of products or mental health services.
Drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation is usually classified as a charitable grant. They are not loans; therefore, they don’t need to be paid back.
Aside from charitable organisations, grants can be obtained from the government’s National Health Service (Free NHS Services) & Public Health England (PHE).
Organisations offering grants for rehab include government agencies, charities, private foundations, and individuals.
The following is a list of organisations where you can apply for grants for rehabilitation.
Benefits of treatment grants
Residential rehabilitation facilities are centers for users seeking treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. This works differently from outpatient rehab programs where drug users seek treatment and then return home at night.
There are many advantages of alcohol treatment grants, including a higher success rate and safety. When an alcohol user decides to seek treatment, they undergo a drastic change in their lives.
Detoxification
The process of going through detoxification can be very unpleasant for alcohol users. Many people suffering from alcohol and substance abuse try to avoid it for as long as they can.
One of the perks of inpatient rehab treatment centres is they provide a safe environment to detox where medical professionals can monitor the success of the drug addict.
Success rate
Studies have shown that recovering from alcohol addiction is a daunting process with the possibility of returning to alcohol consumption.
Patients seeking grants for alcohol treatment have enhanced occupational, psychological, and social functioning with decreased withdrawal symptoms.
Can individuals receive unemployment benefits while in a rehabilitation facility?
Community engagement
Support groups associated with substance abuse treatment create a fellowship between staff, counselors and recovering addicts.
This is one of the top reasons people in such groups have a higher rate of success. At the same time, inpatient rehab facilities come with resources that ease the transition to everyday life.
Sources of Grants
- Turn2us is a charity that is primarily for people living in poverty.
- GrantsOnline offers detailed information about grants and is available only on a paid subscription.
- Forward Trust is a charity that provides AUD (Alcohol Abuse Disorder) support groups for people in prisons across the UK.
- The Garfield Weston Foundation is one of the most prominent grant-giving institutions for rehabilitation in the UK.
- The National Lottery Community Fund or the Big Lottery Fund is the distributor of funds that provides grants for projects that improve lives.
How Grants Are Given
Grants are given to charities and foundations that provide mental health services, substance abuse treatment and rehab for individuals with alcohol abuse disorders.
The institutions must submit an application about their organisation with details that include the substance abuse prevention process and timeline, rehab cost breakdown, and intended outcomes to receive these grants.
If you would like financial assistance for rehab, you can approach charities, foundations, and private rehab treatment centers to inquire if they have openings for grants recipients.
You can also ask your community addiction treatment council, a psychiatrist or psychologist, or your church.
They have the resources and connections to refer you to foundations or the appropriate private rehab clinics.
To qualify for a grant-based residential treatment programme, you may be asked to show:
- You do not have insurance
- Proof of residency
- Income/ employment
You may also have to take an initial consultation with a physician.
Are There Funding Options Available?
Paying for private alcohol addiction treatment is a significant obstacle, without funding.
AUD treatment services range from outpatient counselling to residential treatment.
Rehab treatment may also include one-on-one counselling, group therapy, or a combination of many.
Treatment will be based on:
- The substance of abuse
- Length of use
- The severity of alcohol and drug addiction
- Physical complications
Self-Financed
Family or the individual can pay for the rehab with their own money.
Some private rehab clinics may allow weekly or monthly payments or pay as you go schemes. It is best to discuss the details of a self-financed rehab with the facility of choice.
Public Funding - NHS
The UK government’s National Health Service (NHS) does sometimes provide medical advice and free services and alcohol rehab.
The drawbacks to obtaining this publicly funded treatment include a long waiting time.
To get into the rehab program, you must start with a community-based treatment which may be insufficient for full recovery process.
Private Health Insurance
Private health insurance companies provide alcohol treatment funding in the UK.
Insurance companies carry health plans that cover rehab for alcohol addiction. The insurance policy may be personal or may come from an employer.
Most insurance companies will require a referral from a GP or a consultant psychiatrist for the rehab treatment.
Ask the following questions from the insurance company to know what the specific policy allows:
- What substances are covered under the policy?
- Is alcohol use disorder covered?
- Is the treatment provided as a residential treatment programme or outpatient?
- Will they pay for residential rehab or outpatient treatment only?
- Are the following treatments covered?
- Medical detox, including medications.
- Co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety
- Maintenance medications.
- Relapse prevention planning?
- What rehab facilities are approved by the insurer?
- Is your preferred centre accredited?
- What are the financial limits and the length of time covered?
- What is their procedure for admission?
- What are clauses in the policy that may invalidate the coverage?
Major insurance companies include:
Bupa | Blue Cross Shield |
Aviva | Aetna |
Prudential | Coventry |
Cigna | JSIS |
Western Provident Association (WPA) | Tricare |
Axa Health | Vitality |
Geo Blue | Zurich |
How to Get Funding for Rehab
Follow these three steps to try to obtain NHS funding for treatment for alcohol use disorder in the UK:
1. Seek a consultation with a GP, social worker, or the local council on addiction. Communities in the UK will have an addiction services team who will open a case for you.
The consultant psychiatrist will perform a medical assessment and recommend outpatient community treatments.
Your compliance and commitment to the treatments will be monitored, and residential treatment may follow.
2. Document on paper all your appointments, consultations, meetings attended, and treatments received.
Record essential details, such as date, time, and place; type of treatment; names of persons you interacted with (physician, psychologist, social worker).
3. Get a referral for residential rehab. Good compliance to the recommended treatments from the consultant psychiatrist or social worker may earn you a referral to the local authorities or a charitable institution.
Questions to ask a rehab centre?
People experience addictions differently. As such, addiction treatment centres come in all shapes and sizes. There are several questions to ask the rehab centre before enrolling in order to find a suitable rehab programme.
Trust is an essential factor to consider when you’re looking for a rehab centre for alcohol. You want to be sure that you can trust the medical professionals and can guarantee positive results. That is why you need to be aware of the kind of treatments you will receive, the duration of treatment, the rehab facility’s licensure status, and their record of successful treatments.
Final thoughts
In some cases, there may be funding available to you for NHS rehab, but it can take a long time to get approved.
Check for any additional eligibility requirements to see if you are eligible to apply for that grant.
