Lightweight Wheelchair for Sale: UK Buyer's Guide

If you are looking for a lightweight wheelchair for sale, it helps to know the main types, what makes one chair lighter than another, and what to check before you pay. This guide covers all of that for UK buyers. It also explains other ways to get a chair, including an NHS assessment, a personal wheelchair budget and short-term hire, and how to avoid paying VAT if you are eligible.

Key points

• Lightweight wheelchairs are easier to lift into a car and to push. Check the weight with and without the wheels and footrests.
• Choose between a self-propelled chair (large rear wheels) and a transit chair pushed by a helper (small wheels).
• Measure before you buy, and try the chair if you can.
• If you are disabled or have a long-term illness, you will not be charged VAT on a wheelchair for your own use.
• Before buying, ask about an NHS wheelchair service assessment. You may be able to get a chair, or a personal wheelchair budget, through the NHS.

Types of lightweight wheelchair

"Lightweight" is a selling term, not a fixed standard, so compare the actual weights suppliers give. Check whether the figure includes the wheels, footrests and cushion. Lightweight chairs fall into a few groups:

• Lightweight transit (attendant) chairs: small wheels, pushed by a carer. Often the lightest and most compact to fold.
• Lightweight self-propelled chairs: large rear wheels so the user can push. Many fold, and the wheels may come off for lifting into a car.
• Active-user or rigid-frame chairs: built for people who push themselves every day. They are usually set up to fit the user closely.
• Folding powered chairs: lighter electric wheelchairs designed to fold for travel. They are still heavier than a manual chair, so check the weight of each part.

Measuring up

A chair that fits well is more comfortable and easier to push. Take these measurements while sitting, or ask a supplier or wheelchair service to measure you:

• Seat width: you should fit with a little space each side, without being able to slide around.
• Seat depth: leave a small gap between the back of your knees and the seat front.
• Backrest height: enough support for your back without getting in the way of your arms if you push.
• Footrest length: your thighs should rest on the seat and your feet on the footplates.

Also check the chair's maximum user weight and how it folds. Make sure the person who will lift it into the car can manage it.

Key features to look for

• Frame material: affects weight, strength and price (see below).
• Quick-release wheels: make the chair lighter to lift in parts.
• Folding back: makes the chair smaller in the car boot.
• Adjustable or removable armrests and footrests: help with transfers and fit.
• Wheel size: larger rear wheels make self-propelling easier; small wheels make transit chairs compact.
• Attendant brakes: handle-mounted brakes help a carer control the chair on slopes.
• Tyres: solid tyres do not puncture; air tyres can give a softer ride but need pumping up.

Frame materials

Most lightweight chairs use one of three materials:

• Aluminium: the most common. Light and strong, and usually the best value.
• Titanium: strong and light, and absorbs some vibration, but costs more.
• Carbon fibre: the lightest option, used on some high-end chairs, at a higher price.

Steel chairs are heavier but are often cheaper and very sturdy.

Where to buy, hire or borrow

You do not have to buy straight away.

• NHS wheelchair service: ask a GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or hospital staff to refer you for an assessment. In some areas you can refer yourself.
• Personal wheelchair budget: in England, if you meet your local wheelchair service's criteria and need a new chair, you have a legal right to a personal wheelchair budget. You can use it within the NHS service or with an independent supplier, and you can add your own money to get a different chair.
• Short-term loan or hire: you can sometimes borrow an NHS wheelchair for a short time, for example after an operation. The British Red Cross hires wheelchairs across the UK.
• Shopmobility: some shopping centres lend wheelchairs while you shop, usually free or at low cost.
• Buying: mobility shops and online suppliers. The NHS suggests trying different types before you decide.

Comfort accessories

• Cushions, from foam to gel or air, for comfort and pressure relief.
• Adjustable footrests and armrests to help posture.
• Side guards to protect clothing from the wheels.
• Anti-tip wheels for extra safety.
• Bags and cup holders to keep things within reach.

A lightweight chair can make trips out easier. For ideas, see our guide to activities for wheelchair users.

Looking after your wheelchair

Follow the maker's care guide. In general, wipe the frame with a damp cloth and dry it well, check air tyres are pumped up, tighten loose parts, check the brakes work, and look for wear on the seat and backrest. If you have an NHS chair, report problems to your wheelchair service rather than repairing it yourself.

Travelling by air

If you plan to fly, ask for assistance when you book, or at least 48 hours before you fly, through your airline, travel agent or tour operator. Airlines must offer a free way to request help. If you use your own wheelchair, you should be able to use it up to the departure gate before it goes in the hold, and it should be returned to you at the arrival gate. Tell the airline in advance if you are taking an electric wheelchair.

Costs and VAT relief

Prices vary a lot, so compare UK suppliers. The NHS says wheelchairs range from about £150 for a manual wheelchair to around £2,000 for a basic electric wheelchair.

• VAT relief: if you are disabled or have a long-term illness, you will not be charged VAT on a wheelchair for your own use, or on repairs, spare parts and accessories. You will need to confirm this in writing; the supplier may give you a form. You do not qualify if you are elderly but not disabled, or only temporarily disabled.
• Personal wheelchair budget: ask your NHS wheelchair service.
• Charity grants: may help if you cannot get the help you need from the council or the NHS.
• Insurance: check that your home contents insurance covers the chair, or look at specialist mobility insurance.

For more on choosing and using a chair, read our guide to buying and using a wheelchair and our overview of the best wheelchairs in the UK.

Sources

• Walking aids, wheelchairs and mobility scooters (NHS)
• Personal wheelchair budgets (NHS England)
• Personal wheelchair budgets: frequently asked questions (NHS England)
• Financial help if you're disabled: VAT relief for disabled people (GOV.UK)
• Hire a wheelchair (British Red Cross)
• How to access help and support (UK Civil Aviation Authority)
• Household gadgets and equipment to make life easier (NHS)