Thanks Steve.
My doctor thought I was on the voucher system.
Wonder how much they will let me have using the voucher?
Or is it different from person to person?
They will 'assess' you to see what you need. The result will be a weedy 2 pole low power, 4mph, no lights chair with no seating options and small batteries, think spectra plus or worse. The will offer about half what it costs retail, (what they pay for it) as a voucher. Plus a cushion, and some for maintainance. Like a few hundred. The voucher does not give you freedom to buy from a discounted deal (I have had 25 and 30% offers online from the retail, with no VAT as well). It forces you to buy from their list of approved dealers, (think backhander) and an aproved list of chairs.
So its a waste of time. Assess yourself in detail, and if its less than 6 or 7 pages of factual detail and info you failed) showing why you need this or that option, and narrow down the chair you need for your LIFESTYLE, hobby, indoor and outdoor clinical and holistic needs. Include a prescrition form already filled in, and added up, with the right options ticked. If they offer anything else take apart the new chairs detail, explaining why that will not work for you.
And do the powerchair budget so you can buy from your choice of new, discounted, used, online, etc. And get two used or one discounted, etc. Its YOUR choice. Or use the money to build your own as I usually do. Although I bought a salsa cheap with all the right options last time... And made a few changes.
Also they can be persuaded that 3 years is a good replacement time if you are a heavy user that goes through chairs and batteries at a rate of knots. I do...
All depends on your negotiating skills. If you are theresa may you will get about 1500 quid. I get about 7k every 3 years. They wont cover 6mph, etc. So I have to make up the difference. You can buy a chair for that (negotiate!).