Apply for a wish

Do you know a child fighting a critical illness, who could benefit from a life-changing wish?

Speak to the child's health, social care or education professional, who will be able to submit a referral on the child's behalf. If you have any questions about the process, give us a call on 0118 304 3368 or email [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.

What is a wish?

Our wishes give seriously ill children the chance to do something extraordinary. For many children, it's an opportunity to choose something just for them – a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Every wish is as unique as the child who created it. Our Wish Makers, who are a team of specially-trained volunteers, speak to the child and spend time with them to find out what matters most to them in the world, and what matters most to them about their wish.

Sunil and his family posing in front of the Christmas tree with his PS5.

Sunil wished to have a PS5 games console

We’re keen to get the wish capture experience right, because a child’s wish is a precious gift that helps build lasting memories, confidence and resilience.

Tough times lead a child to be eligible for a wish, and families often suffer as a result of a child being seriously ill, which is why it's important for us to include them in a child’s wish, too.

  

Allan joking with a colleague as he sits on a police motorbike

Allan wished to be a police officer

How do I refer a child?

Follow these three steps to get started

1 - Check if your child is eligible for a wish

  • Find out if your child is eligible for a wish by checking our list of eligible conditions.
  • A child needs to be a UK resident, aged between 3 and 17 years*, and diagnosed with a critical illness at the point of referral.
    * We can accept an application if we receive it on the child's third birthday, or before the day of their 18th birthday
  • A child shouldn't have received a wish from us before or from another wishgranting organisation.

2 - Speak to the child's health, social care or education professional

They will be able to submit a referral on the child's behalf via the following link.

Apply for a wish

3 - Wait for us to get in touch

Once we receive the referral, we'll begin the process to confirm whether or not they're eligible for a wish.

Portrait of Dewi behind steering wheel smiling

Dewi wished to have a Nürburgring racing experience

What happens next?

If the child is eligible for a wish, we'll call the family asking for further information about the child.

We'll then arrange for our Wish Makers to meet with the child to explore wish ideas with them.

Please note, there are restrictions on some kinds of wishes. If your wish falls into a category with restrictions, we’ll explain these to you so you can understand why.

Read more about the wish journey

At Make-A-Wish UK we grant wishes in line with the current FCO and national government guidelines, and the safety protocols in place with our wonderful partners.

These currently do not require a wish child to be vaccinated in order to receive a wish, and we would never make a vaccination a requirement for a wish unless mandated to by a change in these official guidelines.

We make our decisions independently of the other affiliates within the Make-A-Wish Foundation who may take a different stance than us on their own policies.

Our priority is always to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our wish children and their families, and we will continue to closely follow the official guidelines accordingly to provide them with the most magical experience possible.