Mobility equipment scams: fake grants, cold calls and doorstep sellers, and how to check

Published 7 November 2026

Quick answer: Most mobility equipment scams rely on one of four tricks: offering access to a “free government grant” that only a council can give, claiming you qualify for VAT relief when you may not, pressuring you at your door, or selling used equipment online that never arrives. Genuine adaptation grants such as the Disabled Facilities Grant come through your council, usually after an assessment. If you think you have been caught, call your bank straight away and report it.

Last checked: 7 November 2026. What we checked: City of London Police and GOV.UK notices on Report Fraud, GOV.UK Disabled Facilities Grants guide, HMRC VAT Notice 701/7, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 Schedule 20, CMA guidance on unfair commercial practices, Citizens Advice scam and consumer service pages (England and Scotland), Age UK doorstep scams guidance, Stop Scams UK and Motability scam guidance, and nidirect pages on Consumerline and Disabled Facilities Grants.

Who this is for: Anyone who has been offered a stairlift, bathroom adaptation, scooter or other mobility equipment out of the blue, and family members checking an offer on someone’s behalf.

The patterns to know

We have not found an official count of mobility equipment scams specifically, so this guide does not give one. What official and consumer bodies do describe are the general tactics, and these map closely onto mobility purchases. Citizens Advice lists warning signs including unexpected contact from a stranger, pressure to pay quickly, unusual payment methods, a business with no postal address, and nothing in writing. Age UK warns about pushy sellers offering big discounts, deadlines or “only a few left”.

The sections below explain how those tactics tend to show up with mobility equipment.

“Free government stairlift grant” calls and adverts

This is the pattern most worth knowing about, because the real system works in a way that makes the fake version easy to spot.

A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is help from your local council towards changing your home, and GOV.UK lists a stairlift and a level-access shower among the examples. According to GOV.UK:

• you apply through your local council
• the council may send an occupational therapist or a trained assessor to see what you need
• the council must give a decision within six months
• you might not get any grant if work starts before the council approves your application

The maximum DFG is £30,000 in England and £36,000 in Wales (GOV.UK). In Northern Ireland it is £35,000, and up to £70,000 in some cases (nidirect; GOV.UK still shows an older £25,000 figure), and DFGs are not available in Scotland, which has its own support for adaptations. The government also funds an organisation called Foundations to help people apply.

So nobody needs to pay a company, or sign with a company, to get a DFG. A caller, leaflet or social media advert that says any of the following deserves suspicion:

• “You’ve been approved for a free government stairlift” when you never applied to your council
• “We can fast-track your grant if you sign today”
• “We’re working on behalf of the council” with no way for you to check that with the council directly
• “Pay a small admin fee and we’ll process your grant”

Claiming false approval or endorsement from a public body is one of the practices banned outright under Schedule 20 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which applies across the UK. If you want to know what you might really be entitled to, our guide to the Disabled Facilities Grant explains the council process, and free equipment from the council or NHS covers smaller items you may not have to pay for at all.

False VAT relief claims

VAT relief on mobility equipment is real, but it has rules, and a seller saying “you qualify” does not make it so.

HMRC’s VAT Notice 701/7 says the disability relief is for people who are chronically sick or disabled. The notice says this does not include an elderly person who is not disabled or chronically sick. There is a separate reduced rate for people aged 60 or over, which covers the supply and installation of certain items such as stairlifts, grab rails, ramps and bath lifts in a private home. HMRC also says the supplier is responsible for checking that the customer meets the conditions, and that there are penalties for knowingly accepting false declarations.

Watch for:

• being told to sign an eligibility declaration that you have not read, or that describes a condition you do not have
• “everyone over 60 gets it VAT-free” (the over-60 relief is a reduced rate, and only for listed items)
• a quote that shows a large “VAT saving” without saying which relief applies

Our VAT exemption guide sets out who qualifies and how the forms work.

Doorstep and home-visit pressure

Not every home visit is a scam. Many legitimate firms survey in the home. The problem is pressure: being kept talking for hours, a “today only” price, or a seller who will not leave.

Since 6 April 2025, Schedule 20 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 bans several of these tactics outright. They include falsely saying a product or price is only available for a very limited time, ignoring a request to leave your home or not to come back, and displaying a trust or quality mark without authorisation. The Competition and Markets Authority’s guidance for businesses says traders must consider how their practices affect vulnerable consumers, including because of age or health.

Age UK’s doorstep advice is simple: do not sign anything on the spot, and get several written quotes for home improvements. You can also ask your council for a “No cold callers” sign.

If you or a relative have already signed at home, you will usually have a 14-day right to cancel. Our guide to cancelling a contract signed at home explains when the 14 days start, the exceptions and how to cancel, so we do not repeat it here.

Online marketplace and second-hand scooter scams

Used mobility scooters, powerchairs and riser recliners are widely sold through online marketplaces and classified ads. The scam versions tend to follow the Citizens Advice warning signs: a price far below what similar models sell for, a seller who will not let you see the item, a request to pay by bank transfer before collection, or a story about why it must be posted.

Practical checks:

• see the item working, in person, before paying
• ask for the original paperwork and the battery’s age
• prefer payment methods that give you some protection, and be wary of anyone who insists on bank transfer only
• be cautious of “courier” or “delivery deposit” requests for an item you have not seen

Our checklist for buying a used mobility scooter covers what to inspect and what questions to ask the seller.

People pretending to be the council, the NHS or Motability

Impersonation is a common scam tactic in general. Age UK warns that fake police or bank staff may ask for your PIN or cards, which real police and banks will not do. The same logic applies to callers who say they are from your council’s equipment service, an NHS wheelchair service or the Motability Scheme.

The Motability Scheme says it will never ask for your bank details for refunds or payments over the phone. If you are unsure about a call that claims to be from the scheme, it advises hanging up and calling Motability on 0300 456 4566. For anything claiming to be from your council or the NHS, hang up and ring the organisation back on a number you have found yourself, such as one on a letter or the official website, not a number the caller gives you. Our Motability Scheme guide explains how the scheme really contacts customers and dealers.

Red flags at a glance

Check before you pay

• [ ] Did you start this contact, or did they? Treat unexpected contact with extra care.
• [ ] Is the company on the Companies House register under the name on the paperwork? Our guide to checking a mobility company walks through what to look at.
• [ ] Do you have a written quote showing the model, total price, VAT treatment and cancellation rights?
• [ ] If a grant is mentioned, have you confirmed it directly with your council?
• [ ] Has someone you trust seen the paperwork?
• [ ] Are you paying in a way that gives some protection, such as a credit card for larger purchases, and never cash to a doorstep caller?
• [ ] Have you waited at least a day before signing?

Before you agree to a visit, you can look the firm up in our company directory and read what other customers have said. A listing on Review Mobility is not an endorsement or a check of the company, but reviews and our published company details can help you spot problems early. Our page on warning signs of stairlift firms to avoid goes further for stairlifts.

How to report it

If money has gone, contact your bank first. You can call 159 to reach most UK banks’ fraud lines; Stop Scams UK says it connects to customers of more than 99% of UK retail bank current accounts and is meant for unexpected calls about money.

Other routes, all UK-wide unless stated:

• Scam texts: forward to 7726.
• Scam emails: forward to report@phishing.gov.uk.
• If you sent money in the last 24 hours or the scammer is local: Citizens Advice says to call the police on 101. Call 999 if you feel threatened.
• Misleading adverts: the Advertising Standards Authority.

Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025 as the national reporting service for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and searches for Action Fraud now redirect to it. City of London Police says people in Scotland should keep calling Police Scotland on 101.

If the problem is a real company behaving badly, not a scam, our guide to complaining about a mobility company sets out the steps.

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. For equipment needs, ask your GP, an occupational therapist or your council for an assessment before buying.

What to do next

• If money has left your account, call your bank now (159 reaches most banks) and ask them to try to stop the payment.
• Report it: Report Fraud (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland on 101.
• Tell Citizens Advice (or Advice Direct Scotland) so it can pass details to Trading Standards.
• If you signed at home in the last 14 days, read our cancellation guide and cancel in writing.
• For grants, contact your council’s adult social care or housing adaptations team directly.
• Ask your council for a “No cold callers” sign if doorstep callers are a problem.

Frequently asked questions

Can a company apply for a stairlift grant on my behalf?

A Disabled Facilities Grant is applied for through your local council, and the council decides. A company may quote for the work or help with forms if you ask it to, but it cannot give you a grant or guarantee one. GOV.UK warns you might not get any grant if work starts before the council approves your application, so never let a firm start early on the promise of a grant.

Is it a scam if a stairlift company offers a free home visit?

Not by itself. Many legitimate firms survey at home. The warning signs are what happens during the visit: pressure to sign the same day, a price that only lasts “today”, reluctance to leave a written quote, or refusing to leave when asked. Ignoring a request to leave and false time-limited offers are banned outright under UK law since April 2025.

Has Action Fraud closed?

Action Fraud has been replaced. City of London Police launched Report Fraud on 4 December 2025 as the national service for reporting fraud and cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and searches for Action Fraud now redirect there. The phone number, 0300 123 2040, stayed the same. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.

My mum signed a VAT form the seller filled in. Is that a problem?

It might be. The declaration is a statement that the buyer meets HMRC’s conditions, and HMRC says an elderly person who is not disabled or chronically sick does not qualify for the disability relief. If the form describes a condition she does not have, get advice. Contact Citizens Advice, and ask the seller in writing which relief they applied and why.

What if the caller knows my name and that I use a wheelchair?

Scammers can buy or gather personal details, so knowing about you does not prove a caller is genuine. Hang up and ring the organisation back on a number from a letter, card or official website. The Motability Scheme says it will never ask for bank details for refunds or payments over the phone.

Can I get my money back after a scam?

Sometimes. Contact your bank as soon as possible, because acting quickly gives the best chance. How you paid matters: credit card purchases of a single item over £100 and up to £30,000 may be covered by section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, and banks have their own processes for bank transfer fraud. A crime reference number from Report Fraud can help your bank’s investigation.

Sources

• Disabled Facilities Grants – nidirect, accessed 7 November 2026
• Report Fraud service goes live with full public launch in January 2026 – City of London Police, accessed 7 November 2026
• Report Fraud: New service from City of London Police – GOV.UK (Serious Fraud Office), accessed 7 November 2026
• Disabled Facilities Grants: How to apply – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
• Disabled Facilities Grants: Eligibility – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
• Disabled Facilities Grants: What you’ll get – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
• Reliefs from VAT for disabled and older people (VAT Notice 701/7) – HM Revenue and Customs, accessed 7 November 2026
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, Schedule 20 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, section 225 (extent) – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
• What businesses need to know about unfair commercial practices – Competition and Markets Authority, accessed 7 November 2026
• Check if something might be a scam – Citizens Advice, accessed 7 November 2026
• Report a scam – Citizens Advice (England), accessed 7 November 2026
• Report a scam – Citizens Advice Scotland, accessed 7 November 2026
• Contact the consumer service – Citizens Advice, accessed 7 November 2026
• What to do if you’ve been scammed – Citizens Advice, accessed 7 November 2026
• Doorstep scams – Age UK, accessed 7 November 2026
• 159 Phone number – Stop Scams UK, accessed 7 November 2026
• Scam calls, texts and emails: How to avoid them and what to do if you receive one – Motability Scheme, accessed 7 November 2026
• About Consumerline and how to contact the helpline – nidirect, accessed 7 November 2026
• Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026

Published 7 November 2026