NHS Wheelchair Services
The NHS provides wheelchairs free of charge to people who have a long-term need for one. This is the most common route for obtaining a wheelchair in the UK.
How It Works
- Ask your GP, physiotherapist, or occupational therapist for a referral to your local NHS wheelchair service
- An assessment will be carried out to determine your needs
- If eligible, you will be provided with a wheelchair on permanent loan
What You Should Know
- NHS wheelchairs remain the property of the NHS and must be returned when no longer needed
- The range of models available varies by area, and options can be limited
- Waiting times differ significantly across the country, sometimes reaching several months
- Maintenance and repairs are usually covered by the NHS
- Some areas offer a personal wheelchair budget, allowing you to top up the NHS contribution to purchase a higher-specification chair
Motability Scheme
The Motability Scheme is not just for cars. It can also provide powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
Eligibility
You must receive one of the following benefits:
- Enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
How It Works
You lease a powered wheelchair or scooter by exchanging part or all of your mobility benefit. The lease includes insurance, servicing, breakdown cover, and repairs. At the end of the lease period (usually 3 years for powered wheelchairs), you can choose a new model.
Disabled Facilities Grant
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is primarily for home adaptations, but in some cases it can contribute towards equipment that is part of an adaptation scheme. For example, if a wheelchair is essential for using an adapted space in your home, the DFG may cover it as part of a wider package.
The grant provides up to £30,000 in England and £36,000 in Wales. Contact your local council’s housing department for details.
Charitable Grants
Several charities provide grants or funding towards wheelchairs. Here are some of the main ones:
BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Service Members’ Association)
Provides grants to veterans who have lost limbs or the use of limbs. Funding can cover wheelchairs and other mobility equipment.
MS Society
Offers grants to people with multiple sclerosis for a range of needs, including wheelchair purchases, home adaptations, and mobility equipment.
Independence at Home
Provides grants for equipment and adaptations that help disabled or elderly people live independently, including wheelchairs.
Newlife Charity (for children)
Provides specialised equipment for disabled and terminally ill children, including wheelchairs, through their equipment grant programme.
Other Charities to Consider
- The Sequoia Trust: grants for physical disabilities
- Turn2Us: a charity that helps you search for grants you may be eligible for
- Family Fund: for families with disabled children under 18
- Whizz-Kidz: provides wheelchairs and mobility equipment for disabled children
- The Patron’s Fund: grants for a range of disability-related needs
Local Council Grants
Some local councils offer their own grant schemes for mobility equipment. These vary widely by area and may be called different things, such as:
- Community care grants
- Independent living funds
- Welfare assistance schemes
Contact your local council’s adult social care department to ask what is available in your area.
Access to Work Scheme
If you need a wheelchair to do your job, the government’s Access to Work scheme can help pay for it. This applies Including wheelchairs, that you need for work
Personal Budgets and Direct Payments
If you have been assessed by your local council as having eligible care needs, you may be offered a personal budget or direct payment. This is money from the council that you can choose how to spend on meeting your care needs, which can include purchasing a wheelchair.
To access a personal budget:
- Contact your local council and request a care needs assessment
- If you have eligible needs, the council will calculate a personal budget
- You can choose to receive this as a direct payment, giving you full control over how it is spent
VAT Exemption
If you are buying a wheelchair privately, remember that you are entitled to VAT exemption if you have a chronic illness or disability. This saves you 20% on the purchase price and applies to both manual and powered wheelchairs.
Combining Funding Sources
There is no rule against combining multiple funding sources to get the wheelchair you need. For example, you could:
- Use your NHS personal wheelchair budget as a base contribution
- Apply for a charitable grant to cover the difference
- Claim VAT exemption to reduce the total cost
- Use Attendance Allowance payments to save towards the purchase