Disabled people in England ‘have to wait up to two years for wheelchairs’

Disabled people are having to wait up to two years to get a wheelchair because of delays involving NHS bodies and private firms that make them.

The situation is revealed in a report by the Public Service Ombudsman, Paula Sussex, who said hold-ups were having profound consequences and limiting wheelchair users’ ability to lead independent lives.

In one case a three-year-old boy with cerebral palsy was unable to start nursery at the same time as his twin brother because he had to wait seven months for a wheelchair. He hurt himself several times when he fell from an adapted buggy his parents were using while they waited.

Sussex launched an investigation into NHS wheelchair provision after a sharp rise in complaints – from eight in 2020-21 to 110 in 2025-26.

Four out of five relate to the handful of private firms that provide wheelchairs to at least half of all children and adults who need one to help them lead independent lives.

Most are about people who need a wheelchair having to wait longer than the supposed 18-week maximum to receive either the device or parts for it.

“For people who rely on a wheelchair, delays, unsuitable equipment or poor repairs can affect every part of their life”, said Sussex.

“There can be profound consequences, from physical pain and emotional distress to limiting their ability to lead full lives.”

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Source: The Guardian, 11 November 2026