Disability Huntingdonshire (DISH) announces service changes across Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland.

Disability Huntingdonshire, known locally as DISH, today announces several changes to the services it provides across Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland.

DISH has supported disabled people in the community since 1991, working to enable individuals living with a disability to achieve independence.

Over the past year, as experienced widely across the charitable sector, it has become increasingly challenging to generate the income required to meet the rising demand for its services.

In 2025/26, DISH supported more than 1,000 people across its operational area and helped to secure £2.5 million in benefits for clients. Each appointment can cost the charity between £250 and £500, depending on the complexity of the case.

From 1 April 2026, DISH will continue to offer its recognised core support but will introduce several changes and new charges:

• Priority appointments: Clients who wish to fast track their appointment will be able to access one of two paid priority appointments per week.
• Benefit appeals: Automatic support for benefit appeals will no longer be provided due to the significant cost to the charity. Instead, appeal requests will undergo an expert assessment to determine the likelihood of success. This assessment will incur a small fee, along with a commitment to donate a percentage of any arrears awarded once the tribunal has been heard and decided.
• Support outside core areas: Individuals living outside DISH’s current area of operation—specifically East Cambridgeshire or Cambridge City—may access telephone or video support for Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance claims. This will be offered for a fee and subject to caseworker availability.

Tracy Hyland, Chief Executive, said:

“The reality is that funding for the voluntary sector has significantly decreased, while demand for the support DISH provides has grown exponentially. Without making some changes and introducing charges, DISH would not be able to continue supporting the people who rely on us.

This has not been an easy decision for me, my team, or our Board of Trustees. It has been an incredibly difficult period, and our priority is to ensure DISH remains viable so that we can continue delivering our personalised, specialist service. We can no longer ignore the fact that we cannot provide everything for free.”

For detailed information on chargeable services and areas of operation, please visit www.dish.org.uk.