14 replies to this topic

[ryan08/06/88]

I live in hampshire and phoned my wheelchair service recently regarding the voucher scheme and my voucher is only for £700...what kind of chair am I supposed to buy with that...I'm 19 and in full time education...live independently of parents etc...

Are there larger available and they're just not offering it to save money?

Two people I know of were awarded £1500 and £2500 respectively...

Yes they live in different areas but still...

I need a new chair and as it stands I cannot afford one...

I need something lightweight and that can be taken apart to put in the car so can't make do with some cheapy thing...plus im young and active so i need one that can put up with that...

It's these aspects of SCI that get to me the most I think! So frustrating when you jsut want to get on with your life!!

One other thing is it says it's a "Band C" voucher...are there higher bands?

What are my options?

Thanks, Ryan.

Edited by ryan08/06/88, 19 May 2008 - 05:20 PM.

[silone74]

Hi you need to be re assesed at the wheelchair services and make it clear that you can not lift the heavier chair to put in a car and need a really light chair you have to play on it and just make it out that you can do less than you can its not fair that some get a massive ammount and some dont but it has to be done if ya want to try and get some more from the voucher scheme i had to put 1300 of my own money to the voucher to get a ti chair it is a post code lottery with the scheme.



Silone74

[ryan08/06/88]

Thanks for the reply.

They definitely know I want a lightweight chair and that I need to get it in and out of the car but they just did a telephone assessment.

I'm not sure whether or not they took me as needing a lightweight chair or wanting one though.

Is there any way of knowing? Or knowing how the banding system works?

It should be means tested not postcode tested...everything in this area is a joke...I've been waiting 3 years for my house to be adapted...

Thanks, Ryan.

[silone74]

A telephone assesment is not right they need to see what you need for them selves and measure you up for a chair so that it is right for you they will give you a choice of having there light chair which most probably will be something like a quickie gp or the voucher which was told to me at the time will be for the ammount there light chair would cost so if they see that you need an even lighter chair than they offer to you they should give more money i am not sure how the banding works i never new anything about that.
I waited along time for my addaptions on my flat but not that long you need to get onto the local MP and get stuff moving forward asap i had to chase em up for months to get my work done in the end i got the MP to come to my flat and see for himself that i could not live in the flat as it was use the wheelchair to your advantage tell tham they have an obligation to make you able to live independantly and if they dont go to the papers.I would not wait any longer.

Silone74

[ryan08/06/88]

MY only concern is if £700 is their maximum then I'm just going to hold things up further by saying I want a proper assessment. Ont he phone she did say that is the maximum amount but whether that is a load of rubbish or not I do not know...she kind of slipped it into the conversation like a salesman would when they're selling you something...

She said that when I go and look at chairs they'll measure me up etc. She didn't even say what chairs they could offer me although I am certain I don't want one of theirs! The chair they gave me when I left hospital wasn't at all suitable, besides generally being a heap of crap and looking like something out of the 60's the back was miles too low!

I wrote to my mp just over 2 years ago when I was 17 as the were refusing to adapt it until I was 18 due to tenancy issues...I didn't have much success but I am going to be writing a very serious letter to the mp reminding him of the situation when I was 17 and the situation in which I find myself now. I think I'll also go to the press...I'm not normally one to make a fuss but I am at the end of my tether to be honest...it takes the pee...

Sorry for the moaning but I'm in a feel sorry for myself mood haha! I just feel like i'm gettign a rough deal and am fed up lol!

Thanks again for the reply,

Ryan.

[Lucydog]

Hi Ryan

Just to put my penny in the pot, I reckon that £700 is about the average. I know some who have got more but a lot more who get between £500 and £700. There seems no logic to it. Im pm ing you with some further info.

[ryan08/06/88]

Thanks for the email

Had a quick look through there, the prices do look much more reasonable! I think I need to try a few of them out in the flesh!

Another thing I'm thinking of doing is looking into extra funding through charities etc. I did have a lot of info but I've had exams so completely misplaced the majority of it!

Thanks again!

Ryan.

[cyclops12]

yes the post code lotto is a joke i got £2400
ryan ive got a new quickie gpv if thats any good to ya
you would have to come and pick it up though

[silone74]

O ye i got a hand bike purchased for me by the lions club give the local lions club a call they may be able to help with the cost of a chair they where great with me



Silone74

[Smudge]

Hi Ryan,

I am also in South-Hampshire, (not far from you, I'm in Romsey).

I come under the Southampton Wheelchair Service and have just got my new voucher. The maximum they give under the 'Independent' scheme is a Class C voucher which is worth is £705.00.

Having spoken with them, the majority of their budget is blown on elderly (not disabled per se) people who retire to the New Forest and require ‘attendant’ wheelchairs, (they have the best part of 70,000 such ‘clients’).

Sorry that I cannot give better news.

Regards

Smudge

[ryan08/06/88]

In September, provided I get the grades, I'm off to london for uni.

If I take this voucher could I then register with the london wheelchair services and get a different voucher? Or would I have to wait 5 years?

What I am thinking is another option is to just give up on this wheelchair service and change when I go to uni and get a netter voucher then...As I am likely to need a new chair before the 5 years is up anyway...£700 for 5 years worth of chair is a joke to be frank...


My present chair barely lasted two...

Do you think it is worth writing to my local mp about this? I'm going to anyway about my house not being adapted...Or is it not really anything to do with him?

Thanks, Ryan.

[Smudge]

Hi Ryan,

Is your voucher from Southampton Wheelchair Services? I know it's not much, but my new voucher is for 3 years.

Before jumping ship as it were from your local wheelchair service, it might be worth making some enquires about the wheelchair service that you would come under at uni, it might be possible that they offer even less!

Regards

Smudge

[ryan08/06/88]

Yeah, it's southampton.

Thats a good point

Where do people get their tyres btw. My wheels are 25-540 I think...I'm wanting to order some decent tyres! Mobility shops are rubbish!

Thanks Ryan.

[Smudge]

Hi Ryan,

I use EPC in Farnborough for my tyres - http://www.epc-wheel...ts/75/tyres.htm

Smudge

[ruth]

Have you applied for Disabled Students Allowance? Do so asap through your local education authority. They will send you off on a needs assessment - you could always try the 'need a new chair to function at uni' story and see if they will fund a shiny new toy for you to play in!

Even if DSA wont pay for a chair, they might stump up a laptop, printing costs, textbooks, car parking costs, travelling expenses....

Basically ask the Earth (with some thought out reasons why you need these things) and you might get something not half bad.