Children’s wheelchair charity halts new referrals due to lack of funds

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleCharlie Drinkwater is among children supported by the Whizz Kids charity (Whizz Kids)Whizz Kids, the UK's only charity providing specialist children's wheelchairs, has stopped accepting new referrals for the first time in over 30 years.The charity reports a 12.5 per cent year-on-year increase in demand, primarily due to rising NHS rejections of specialist wheelchairs for children, often citing budget constraints and strict eligibility criteria. This has left over 1,000 children waiting for vital equipment, with many experiencing discomfort, pain, and restricted independence.NHS data shows 1,676 children waited over three months for wheelchair services, and 1,700 were rejected for not “requiring equipment”, shifting the burden onto charities and families. Charity leaders are appealing for urgent funding to reopen services and address what they describe as a “systemic failure” of underfunded NHS provisions.In fullDisabled children facing ‘national crisis’ as thousands wait months for wheelchairsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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