Facts checked against the linked sources on 2026-11-02. Prices, dates and session details can change; confirm with the provider before booking or ordering.
The rule: only the approved repairer
Homerton Healthcare's City and Hackney wheelchair service states the rule plainly: wheelchair repairs must only be completed by the wheelchair service approved repairer, and this is a free repair and maintenance service for all the equipment it has supplied. Its current approved repairer is AJM Healthcare, on 0808 164 8840, and when you call you should have your name and address and the details of the repair ready. The service itself can be reached on 020 7683 4250, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm excluding bank holidays, but the repair call goes to the approved repairer. Do not attempt to repair or modify the chair yourself: besides the safety risk, unauthorised modification can complicate the service's responsibility for the equipment.
What Gloucestershire shows about the pattern
Gloucestershire's service follows the same pattern with local details that show how the system works in practice. All NHS wheelchairs it supplies are covered for maintenance and repair by the Gloucestershire Wheelchair Repair Service, provided in the area by North Bristol NHS Trust. The repair number is 0300 421 7093, the engineer travels to your home, and if the chair needs to be taken away for a major repair, or is beyond repair and unsafe to use, the engineer will try to loan you a similar wheelchair until a replacement can be provided. The number is monitored at weekends and bank holidays for emergencies, with a dedicated weekend on-call phone, 07720 353990, for emergencies only, and all appointments and repairs are by appointment only. The pattern to take away is consistent: a dedicated repair number, home visits, a loan chair when yours goes away, and a separate emergency route.
Loan conditions, loss, returns, and the ownership exception
NHS wheelchairs are loaned, not given: the equipment remains the property of the wheelchair service, you should keep it safe and store it indoors, and if it is lost or stolen you must notify the service immediately. If you no longer need the equipment, contact the service so it can be collected; never dispose of it yourself. There is one important exception to free repairs. Under a personal wheelchair budget, if you choose the third-party option and use the voucher towards a chair outside the NHS range, that chair belongs to you, and you become responsible for its repairs and maintenance costs. If you took the standard NHS chair or topped one up, it stays NHS property and stays covered by the repair service. Before you choose a budget option, ask which side of that line your chair will fall on.
