Mobility equipment
Assistive technology
Equipment that helps a person move around, such as wheelchairs, walking frames, scooters and transfer aids.
The short answer
Mobility equipment helps people move around, such as wheelchairs, walking frames, scooters and transfer aids. The right choice depends on your body, your home and how you live.
About Mobility equipment
Choosing mobility equipment is a personal decision. A manual wheelchair, a power chair, a walking frame and a mobility scooter each suit different people and different environments. What works well indoors may not work outdoors, and equipment needs to fit both the person and the spaces they use.
A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can assess your needs, take measurements and recommend options. Trying equipment in your own environment is one of the best ways to check comfort, control and fit. Ask about adjustments, seating and pressure care, which matter for anyone sitting for long periods.
Once you have equipment, maintenance keeps it safe. Ask about servicing, repairs and what to do if something breaks, so you are not left without mobility for long. Review your equipment regularly, because your needs may change.
Who is this service for?
People who need help moving around, for example a wheelchair, walker, scooter or transfer aid.
What a typical session looks like
Choosing mobility equipment usually starts with an assessment by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist who looks at how you move, where you go and what you want to do. They may recommend walking frames, wheelchairs, scooters or other aids and arrange for you to try them. Fitting and adjustment are important, since a poorly fitted item can cause pain or injury.
Once you have the equipment, training helps you use it safely in your home and community. Regular servicing and reviews keep it working well, and your therapist can check whether it still suits you as your needs change.
Who delivers this support
Physiotherapists and occupational therapists usually assess mobility needs and prescribe equipment, and specialist suppliers provide, fit and maintain it. For complex wheelchairs or seating, look for a therapist and supplier with specific experience. Ask about trial options, servicing arrangements and what support is available if the equipment fails.
How to choose a provider
- Ask for a trial in your home and in the places you go.
- Check how the equipment can be adjusted as your needs change.
- Ask about servicing, warranty and repairs, including loan equipment.
- Consider transport, storage and charging.
- Ask a therapist to check seating, posture and pressure care.
Questions to ask a provider
- Can a therapist assess how I move and where I use the equipment?
- Can I trial different types before I decide?
- How will the equipment be fitted and adjusted for me?
- What training will I get to use it safely?
- How is servicing arranged, and what happens if it breaks?
- How will we check that it still suits me as my needs change?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Buying equipment without a proper assessment or trial.
- Not checking that it fits through doors, in the car and in the places you go.
- Skipping training on safe use, including on slopes and kerbs.
- Neglecting servicing until something fails.
- Not reviewing the equipment as your needs change.
Getting started
- Write down where and how you want to move.
- Book an assessment with a physiotherapist or occupational therapist.
- Trial the recommended options.
- Arrange training, delivery and a first service check.
How it fits with the rest of your plan
Mobility equipment works with home modifications, transport and therapy. Where you use the equipment matters, so consider doors, ramps, vehicles and the places you like to go. Good planning includes maintenance, replacement and what to do when the equipment breaks down.
Eligibility
You can use NDIS funding for Mobility equipment if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
Funding
Assistive technology is funded according to its cost and complexity: lower-cost items are usually paid from a Core budget, and higher-cost or more complex items from a Capital budget, sometimes needing an assessment or quote. Your planner or an assistive technology advisor can explain how this applies to Mobility equipment. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.
What it costs
Equipment prices vary widely with the type of item and how it is set up for you. Ask for a written quote that separates the item, fitting and training, and for information about warranty and servicing for Mobility equipment. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.
Assistive technology & equipment providers on the NDIS register
4,258 NDIS providers list assistive technology & equipment supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.
Providers listing assistive technology & equipment
- 1 Care Connect - NSW; includes Manly, NSW; Rooty Hill, NSW; Rosehill, NSW
- 1 NSW Building Solutions - NSW; includes Annandale, NSW
- 1 Roof Therapy and Assessment - NSW; includes Caringbah, NSW
- 1 Stop Paediatric Services - SA; includes Mount Gambier, SA
- 101 Physio - VIC; includes Melton West, VIC
- 1st Care Community - QLD; includes Acacia Ridge, QLD
- 2 Right Feet Podiatry - VIC; includes Kilsyth, VIC
- 2 Right Feet Podiatry - VIC; includes Kilsyth, VIC
- 24 Hour Positioning - NSW; includes Chatswood, NSW
- 24 Seven Plan Management - WA; includes Canning Vale, WA
- 24/7 Nursing + Medical Services - NSW; includes Edgecliff, NSW
- 247 Divine Healthcare - QLD; includes Middle Ridge, QLD
See all 4,258 assistive technology & equipment providers
Listings by state and territory
- New South Wales (1,754)
- Victoria (1,004)
- Queensland (851)
- South Australia (348)
- Western Australia (347)
- Tasmania (102)
- Australian Capital Territory (100)
- Northern Territory (62)
Suburbs with the most listings
- Brisbane, QLD (217)
- Sydney, NSW (139)
- Melbourne, VIC (134)
- Central Coast, NSW (110)
- Blacktown, NSW (79)
- Perth, WA (79)
- Parramatta, NSW (74)
- Liverpool, NSW (72)
- Bankstown, NSW (70)
- Canberra, ACT (63)
- Penrith, NSW (63)
- Adelaide, SA (58)
Listings covering the most areas
- Permalink Support Services - 503 areas
- Bayside Mobile Physio - 185 areas
- Nurse Next Door Townsville - 171 areas
- Allied Horizon Disability Services - 154 areas
- Just Better Care Adelaide - 130 areas
- Right at Home Perth Northern Suburbs & Perth West Coast - 108 areas
- United for Care - 103 areas
- Anne Care Facilities - 101 areas
Checking credentials
- Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
- Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
- Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.
Regulation and safeguards
NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.
Related services
- Personal care and safety equipment
- Recreation equipment
- Vision equipment
- AT repairs, maintenance, rental and trial
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a wheelchair or walker?
A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can assess your needs and recommend options. Trying equipment in your daily environment is the best way to check fit and comfort.
Can mobility equipment be adjusted?
Usually, yes. Many items can be adjusted or customised, and it is worth having equipment checked as your needs change.
Who maintains it?
The supplier or a repair service. Ask about warranty, servicing and what to do if something breaks, so you are not without equipment for long.
How do I choose between a wheelchair and a scooter?
It depends on your body, environment and needs. A therapist can compare them with you.
Can equipment be customised?
Often yes. Seating, controls and accessories can be adjusted for you.
What if I outgrow or no longer suit my equipment?
Review it with your therapist. Equipment should be reassessed as needs change.
How do I know which mobility aid is right for me?
A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can assess how you move and recommend options. Trying different aids in real situations helps you decide.
How often should mobility equipment be serviced?
It depends on the item and how much you use it. The supplier can tell you the recommended schedule, and it is wise to check brakes, tyres and joints regularly.
What if my needs change?
Contact your therapist for a review. Equipment can often be adjusted, or replaced with something more suitable.
Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Mobility equipment?
If Mobility equipment is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
How do I find a Mobility equipment provider near me?
Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.
Sources and further reading
- NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint
Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory
Helpful reading
- How to choose an NDIS provider: 12 questions to ask before you commit: A practical checklist for comparing providers, from how a service fits your plan to what happens when something goes wrong.
- Registered or unregistered? What it means when you choose an NDIS provider: Registered and unregistered providers can both be legitimate, but the rules, checks and options for your plan are not the same. Here is how to think about the difference.
- How to change NDIS provider without losing support: You are allowed to change providers. A little planning means the new service is ready before the old one ends, and nothing falls through the gap.