There are lots of products - ranging from two-handled mugs to electric wheelchairs - that have been designed to help make the lives of disabled people easier.

It's worth spending time looking into this. You may find a support aid that makes a big difference to the person you are caring for. You may also be able to get help with paying for the product or even get it for free.

Where can you get support products?

There are a number of places you can get support aids and equipment, depending on what you need. Some organisations - such as your local council or health authority - may be able to provide some products for free or for only a small fee so it's worth seeing what they have to offer first.

• Medical support products you can get through your health authority
• Non-medical support products you can get through your local council
• Products you can get through the Department for Work and Pensions to help someone do their job
• Borrowing, hiring or buying equipment from charities, benevolent organisations and self-help groups
• Companies you can buy products from
• What to do if you want to make your own aids and equipment

Medical support products you can get through your health authority

You should contact the doctor (GP) of the person you care for if you need any of the following products or other medical support products:

• Incontinence products
• Stoma products - this is for people who have had certain types of stomach surgery
• Equipment to help manage diabetes
• Dressings for wounds or support
• Respiratory (breathing) equipment.

If the person you are caring for is just coming out of hospital, their hospital consultant should provide any items they need when they first return home.

Please note that many of these products are provided free-of-charge or for a small fee.

• How to save money by not paying VAT on support products
• How to get help with paying for support products

Non-medical support products you can get through your local council

Contact your local council's social services department if you need non-medical support aids and equipment to help with daily living (e.g. walking aids, etc.).

You should contact your social work department if you live in Scotland or the Health and Social Services Trust if you live in Northern Ireland.

Please note that many of the products are provided free-of-charge or for a small fee.

Products you can get through the Department for Work and Pensions to help someone do their job

The Department for Work and Pensions runs special schemes that provide aids and equipment to help people with a disability do their job. This includes things like special computers and talking calculators, which are available free of charge.

Grants are also available to help employers make their workplace more suitable for disabled people.

Please contact your local Job Centre for more information.

Borrowing, hiring or buying equipment from charities, benevolent organisations and self-help groups

There are a number of organisations that lend, hire or sell support aids and equipment:

• Local British Red Cross Society branches lend basic items such as wheelchairs Motability provides electric wheelchairs and cars which you can buy from them on HP (that means you don't have to pay for it immediately but make a number payments over time) Motability is only open to those in receipt of an award of DLA mobility component at the highest rate.
• Continence Foundation provides special equipment to help with incontinence

Companies you can buy products from

You can buy equipment through a number of companies, many of which have a mail order service for people who are unable to visit showrooms. Before you buy anything by mail order, it's a good idea to get advice from the occupational therapist at your local social services department

The Disabled Living Foundation can provide information about products. They can be contacted on 0845 130 9177.

What to do if you want to make your own aids and equipment

If you would like to make your own support aids and equipment, here's some recommended reading to get you started:

Handmade helps for disabled living, by Stuart Granger,
Batsford, £12.99 ISBN 0 7134 3935 1

I can do it myself, by Wouter Van Leeuwen and Hans Elzenger,
£6.95 ISBN 0 907 349315

Where can you view and test support products before you buy, borrow or hire them?

There are a number of ways in which you can arrange to view support aids and equipment before you buy, borrow or hire them:

• Go to a Disabled/Independent Living Centre
• Go to a resource centre for blind and partially-sighted people
• Go to a centre for deaf people and people with hearing loss

Disabled Living Centres or Independent Living Centres

If you go to a centre, you can talk to an occupational therapist - a specialist in disabilities - about what you need and then try out support products.

To find out where you local centre is, contact the Independent Living Centres Council.

Resource centres for blind and partially-sighted people

There are around 50 resource centres in the UK where you can get advice about support products for blind and partially-sighted people. To find out where your local centre is, contact the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Living Centres also have a range of aids and equipment for people with sight problems. To find out where you local centre is, contact the Disabled Living Centres Council.

Centres for deaf people and people with hearing loss

People with hearing loss can go to centres for assessment, advice, training and demonstrations of equipment. To find out where your local centre is, contact the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.

There are also Communication aid centres, which specialise in equipment for people with speech or hearing problems. The person's speech therapist will refer them if necessary.

How to save money by not paying VAT on support products

You do not have to pay VAT - a tax that is paid when people buy certain goods or services - on some support aids and equipment. To avoid paying VAT you must sign a form to say that the goods are for someone who is chronically sick or disabled. You can get a leaflet about not paying VAT and the form from your local Customs and Excise office.

How to get help with paying for support products

Many of the products provided by a health authority or local council are provided free-of-charge or for a small fee.

If, however, they can't or won't provide certain support aids or equipment, you may be able to get help with paying for them from:

• The Social Fund
• A charity or disability organisation
• The Family Fund

The Social Fund

If the person you are caring for is getting Income Support, they may be able to get a community care grant from the Social Fund. To apply, contact your local benefits agency.

Charities and disability organisations

Most of the major charities and some of the disability organisations provide grants which can be applied for through a social worker or health worker. Further information is available from a book called A Guide to Grants for Individuals in Need, which can be found in most libraries and advice centres.

The Family Fund

The Family Fund, which is run by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, can sometimes provide equipment for children who have severe physical or learning disabilities.

This document was provided by Carers UK.