Wheelchairs: types, sizing and NHS wheelchair services
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
If you need a wheelchair regularly, ask for a referral to your local NHS wheelchair service before you buy one. If you only need one for days out, a simple folding transit or self-propelled chair, bought or hired, is usually enough.
The main types
| Type | How it moves | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Self-propelled | Large rear wheels with push-rims so you can move yourself; can also be pushed | People with enough arm and shoulder strength who want independence |
| Transit (attendant-propelled) | Small rear wheels; someone else pushes | Occasional use and days out; lighter and easier to fit in a car boot |
| Powered wheelchair (powerchair) | Battery powered, steered with a joystick | People who cannot push themselves and need a chair for much of the day |
Powered wheelchairs fall under the same class 2 and class 3 rules as mobility scooters, including the 4mph limit on pavements. See our guide to mobility scooters for the rules.
NHS wheelchair services
The NHS provides wheelchairs for people who need one long term. According to the NHS guide to walking aids, wheelchairs and mobility scooters:
- A GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or hospital staff can refer you to your local wheelchair service. In some areas you can refer yourself.
- You will need an assessment. The service decides whether you need a wheelchair and what type.
- In England you may be offered a personal wheelchair budget, which can help towards a different type of chair from the one the NHS would normally provide.
- NHS wheelchairs can sometimes be borrowed for a short time, for example after an operation.
What is offered, and how long you wait, varies from area to area. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland wheelchairs are also provided through the health service after an assessment; ask your GP surgery how to be referred.
What to look for
- Who will push or lift it? The weight of the chair matters as much to the person loading it into the car as to the user. Ask for the weight with the footrests and wheels removed.
- Folded size. Measure your car boot, and try it.
- Maximum user weight.
- Brakes. Attendant brakes on the push handles make hills much safer for the person pushing.
- Footrests and armrests that swing away or lift off make getting in and out easier.
- Tyres. Solid tyres cannot puncture; air-filled tyres give a softer ride but need pumping up.
- A cushion. The sling seat alone is not comfortable for long. If you will sit in the chair for hours, ask a health professional about the right pressure-relieving cushion.
Sizing
Seat width is the key measurement. Sit on a firm chair and measure across the widest part of your hips or thighs, then allow a little extra so you are not squeezed, but not so much that you slide about or the chair will not go through doorways. Seat depth should support your thighs without pressing behind your knees, and footrests should let your thighs rest level. Measure your narrowest doorway at home as well.
These are general pointers only. For a chair you will use every day, proper measuring by the wheelchair service or a trained fitter is worth far more than a guess.
Rough price guide
The NHS says prices range from about £150 for a manual wheelchair to around £2,000 for a basic electric one. As a rough guide, lightweight and made-to-measure chairs cost more, and more capable powerchairs cost considerably more.
Paying less
- NHS wheelchair service – free if you are assessed as needing one.
- Hiring – for a holiday, a wedding or recovery after an operation. See hiring mobility equipment.
- The Motability Scheme – people on certain mobility benefits can lease a powered wheelchair. See the Motability Scheme.
- VAT relief – wheelchairs bought for a disabled person's own use should be free of VAT. See VAT relief on mobility aids.
- Second-hand – manual chairs can be a good used buy. See buying second-hand mobility equipment.
Where to try before you buy
The NHS advises trying several types before you decide. Mobility shops, Shopmobility schemes and hire services all give you the chance. Push it, be pushed in it, fold it and lift it into a car.
Common questions
Can I get a wheelchair on the NHS just for going out?
It depends on your local service's criteria. Some provide chairs only to people who need one regularly. If you do not qualify, hiring or buying a basic transit chair is the usual answer.
What is the difference between a transit and a self-propelled wheelchair?
A self-propelled chair has large rear wheels you can turn yourself. A transit chair has small wheels and must be pushed by someone else. Transit chairs are lighter and fold smaller.
Will I need a ramp at home?
Possibly. Even one step is a barrier for a wheelchair. See our guide to ramps and threshold aids, and ask the council for a needs assessment, as small adaptations may be provided free.
Can I use a wheelchair with a Blue Badge?
The two are separate, but many wheelchair users qualify for a badge, which lets a driver park closer to where you are going. See our Blue Badge guide.