Published 28 October 2026
Last checked: 28 October 2026 against the regulations and the NHS, nidirect, Independent Age and Citizens Advice Scotland pages listed at the end. This is general information, not advice on your own case. Rules differ between the four UK nations.
Quick answer
In England, if your council’s needs assessment finds you need a piece of equipment, such as a perching stool, a raised toilet seat or a bath board, the council must provide it free. The same applies to each minor adaptation, such as a grab rail or a short ramp, that costs £1,000 or less. Ask your council’s adult social care team for a needs assessment; an occupational therapist (OT) will usually visit. The NHS lends walking sticks and frames through your GP, physiotherapist or hospital, and provides wheelchairs through local wheelchair services. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland you can still ask for an assessment, but you may be asked to contribute.
What you can get free in England
The rule is in regulation 3 of the Care and Support (Preventing Needs for Care and Support) Regulations 2014. A council in England may not charge for:
- Community equipment: which the regulation defines as aids, and minor adaptations, that help with daily living or nursing at home. It says “an adaptation is minor if the cost of making the adaptation is £1,000 or less”.
- Intermediate care and reablement: short-term support to help you regain independence, free for the first six weeks.
The NHS website puts it as “Your council should pay for each adaptation that costs less than £1,000.” The threshold applies to each adaptation, not to the total. It only applies to things the assessment says you need, so equipment you choose yourself before an assessment is not covered.
| Usually counts | Usually does not |
|---|---|
| Perching stools, shower chairs, bath boards, raised toilet seats, commodes, bed levers, chair raisers, kitchen trolleys | Mobility scooters (the NHS says they are “not generally available”) |
| Grab rails, stair rails, small ramps, lever taps, key safes | Stairlifts, level-access showers and other adaptations over £1,000 (see the Disabled Facilities Grant) |
| Walking frames (after a needs assessment) | Riser recliner chairs, unless the assessment specifies one |
How to ask for an assessment
- Contact adult social care at your council (in two-tier areas this is the county council). The NHS says you can ask by phone or online, for yourself or for someone you know.
- Say what you struggle with, for example getting off the toilet, in and out of the bath, up the stairs, or falls. Concrete examples help the council decide how urgent it is.
- Mention a recent fall or hospital stay. If you are still in hospital, ask the ward team about equipment before you go home.
- Keep a note of the date you asked and the name of the person you spoke to.
The assessment itself is free. Independent Age says to request “a free care needs assessment from the social services department of your local council.”
What happens at the OT visit
The NHS says an occupational therapist visits your home and “Assessments usually take at least an hour.” You’ll talk through the tasks you find hard and agree what would help. The OT may measure the bath, toilet, chair and bed heights, and watch you try a transfer. You can have a friend or relative there to take notes.
Ask who will deliver and fit the equipment, and whether it is on loan and how to return it when you no longer need it. Our guide to returning or donating equipment covers what to do.
While you wait
Waits for an OT visit vary widely between councils. If you are at risk of falling, say so: councils prioritise urgent cases. Ask your council whether it offers any quicker route for simple items. If you decide to buy something in the meantime, buy it VAT-free if you are eligible (see VAT relief on mobility equipment), keep the receipt, and don’t assume the council will refund it.
Walking aids and wheelchairs from the NHS
- Walking sticks and frames: the NHS says “You can borrow some types of walking sticks from the NHS” and “You can borrow a walking frame from the NHS”. Ask your GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or hospital staff. You might pay a small deposit.
- Wheelchairs: you need a referral to your local NHS wheelchair service, which assesses you and decides what type you need. See how to get a wheelchair from the NHS.
- Mobility scooters: the NHS says they are “not generally available on the NHS”. See grants for mobility scooters and the Motability scooter costs.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
| Nation | Who to ask | Do you pay? |
|---|---|---|
| England | Council adult social care | Assessed equipment free; each minor adaptation free up to £1,000 |
| Scotland | Your council | Independent Age: you “may be asked to pay a ‘reasonable’ amount” based on your finances. Larger adaptations come under the council’s Scheme of Assistance |
| Wales | Council social services | Same Independent Age wording as Scotland. Larger adaptations come under the Disabled Facilities Grant (GOV.UK: up to £36,000 in Wales) |
| Northern Ireland | Your Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust occupational therapy service | nidirect says you “may have to pay” for items the Trust sees as less important to your independence. Larger adaptations come under the Housing Executive’s DFG |
When the answer is no
If the council decides you aren’t eligible, or offers something that doesn’t meet the need, ask for the decision in writing and the reasons. Use the council’s complaints process. In England, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman decides complaints about councils and adult care providers, and describes itself as “the final stage for complaints about councils”.
Paying for it yourself
Many people buy small aids rather than wait. If you do, check whether you can buy them without VAT, buy from a seller with a clear returns policy, and ask an OT or physiotherapist to check heights and weight limits. Our documents-checked guides cover toilet aids, commodes and equipment for coming home from hospital. For anything over £1,000, start with the Funding Finder.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get mobility aids free on the NHS?
Some. The NHS lends walking sticks and frames, and provides wheelchairs after an assessment by your local wheelchair service. Bathroom and home equipment usually comes from the council after a needs assessment.
Do I have to pay for an OT assessment?
No. Independent Age describes the council’s care needs assessment as free.
Is equipment from the council means tested?
In England, no: assessed equipment, and minor adaptations up to £1,000 each, are free. For larger adaptations through a Disabled Facilities Grant, GOV.UK says the amount usually depends on household income and savings over £6,000. Elsewhere in the UK you may be asked to contribute.
Can I get a stairlift free from the council?
Not under the £1,000 rule, because a stairlift costs more than that. It may be funded through a Disabled Facilities Grant after an OT assessment. See stairlift grants.
Do I have to give the equipment back?
Ask when it is delivered. Equipment from community equipment services is generally lent, and the service will tell you how to return it.
Sources
- Care and Support (Preventing Needs for Care and Support) Regulations 2014, regulation 3, legislation.gov.uk: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2672/regulation/3 (read 28 Oct 2026)
- NHS, Home adaptations (last reviewed 12 December 2025): https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/care-services-equipment-and-care-homes/home-adaptations
- NHS, Walking aids, wheelchairs and mobility scooters (last reviewed 8 April 2026): https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/care-services-equipment-and-care-homes/walking-aids-wheelchairs-and-mobility-scooters
- Independent Age, Getting disability equipment (read 28 October 2026): https://www.independentage.org/get-advice/health-and-care/help-at-home/getting-disability-equipment
- nidirect, Equipment for use around the home: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/equipment-use-around-home
- GOV.UK, Disabled Facilities Grants: what you’ll get: https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants/what-youll-get
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman: https://www.lgo.org.uk/
- Citizens Advice Scotland, Housing grants and loans: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/housing/home-repairs-improvements-and-adaptations-s/housing-grants-and-loans-s/
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Published 28 October 2026