Wheelchairs for children

We fund a range of wheelchairs, including:

• Lightweight manual wheelchairs
• Powered wheelchairs
• Sports wheelchairs
• All-terrain wheelchairs

All wheelchairs Variety provides are bespoke in order to meet the needs of the user. We have no preferred suppliers.

Anyone is eligible for a wheelchair grant if they meet the following criteria:

• They’ve not yet reached their 19th birthday
• They have a recognised disability or long-term health condition that permanently affects their mobility

We accept applications from young people themselves who are over the age of 13.

Applying to Variety for help is straightforward. You can submit an application at any time by sending us:

• Your completed application form which can be downloaded below
• A letter of support from a relevant healthcare professional (such as an occupational therapist, physiotherapist or doctor)
• A quote for the equipment you are applying for from the supplier (sometimes we need two quotes but we’ll let you know if that applies to your application)
• For sports wheelchairs only, a letter of support from your sports club outlining the applicant’s commitment to the sport and their regular participation.

Your application will be passed on to one of our volunteers to be assessed. Each application is assessed on its own merit and will take into account your financial situation, the frequency with which the wheelchair will be used, how any maintenance costs will be covered, how safely the wheelchair will be stored and the impact that it will have on the child or young person. We never make cash grants, but will liaise directly with your supplier to arrange delivery straight to your door.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there may be some delay with regard to funding grants and applications are likely to be delayed.

You can still submit your application as usual, and we will respond as quickly as we can to confirm we have received it. If you have already submitted an application, or had one approved recently, your funding may be significantly delayed. In all instances, our grants team will endeavour to keep you informed at every stage and we appreciate your understanding and patience at this time. We are not currently accepting applications from organisations for wheelchair grants. We also have less control over timeframes, making it difficult for us in certain circumstances to team up with other charities to co-fund equipment grants and wheelchairs. We do, of course, welcome contributions from applicants towards the equipment where possible. This situation will hopefully change soon, so please watch this space for updates.