Funding Support for Mobility Equipment in New Zealand
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If you need help paying for a mobility scooter, wheelchair, walker, powerchair, bathroom aid, home modification or other disability-related equipment in New Zealand, there are several possible funding pathways. Which one applies usually depends on why the equipment is needed: an accident, a long-term disability, military service, employment, an emergency cost or a specific community-participation need.
Start with the primary funder that best matches your situation before buying the equipment. Many schemes will not reimburse items purchased before approval, and several require an assessment or supporting letter first.
Quick guide to the main funding pathways
| Funding pathway | Usually relevant when | Typical equipment/support |
|---|---|---|
| Disability Support Services (DSS) | You have a long-term disability not covered by ACC | Equipment and aids, wheelchairs/seating, home and vehicle modifications, subject to assessment and criteria |
| ACC | Your need is related to an accepted injury claim | Aids, equipment, rehabilitation support and modifications linked to the injury |
| Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand | You have Qualifying Service and meet the criteria for the relevant entitlement | Home equipment such as walking frames or wheelchairs, some ramps/rails and vehicle modifications where eligible |
| Work and Income | You have an essential or emergency cost and no other way to pay | Special Needs Grant assistance may be available for emergency medical equipment; other programmes cover specific ongoing, work or housing costs |
| Lottery Fund – Equipment for people with a disability | You have a permanent disability and equipment would remove a barrier to meaningful community participation | Mobility equipment including wheelchairs, scooters and some vehicle-related equipment, subject to criteria |
Disability Support Services: equipment and modification funding
The main government pathway for many people with a long-term disability is now Disability Support Services (DSS). Its Equipment and Modification Services can provide free or subsidised equipment and modifications where the person meets the criteria.
Broadly, DSS support may apply if you have a physical, intellectual, sensory or age-related disability that is expected to last at least six months, you need equipment or modifications to manage everyday activities, the need is not already covered by ACC, and you are a New Zealand resident living in New Zealand when the support is provided.
An EMS-qualified assessor helps identify the most suitable and cost-effective option. Depending on the need, the assessor may be an occupational therapist, physiotherapist or another appropriately qualified professional. Start with DSS equipment and aids or ask your GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or other healthcare provider about referral for assessment.
For home modifications such as ramps, rails, level-access showers, lifts or doorway changes, see DSS home modifications. Accessable manages many funded equipment/modification pathways in Auckland and Northland, while Enable New Zealand manages them in the rest of New Zealand.
ACC funding for accident-related needs
If your equipment need is the result of an injury covered by ACC, ACC is generally the first organisation to speak with. Depending on the accepted claim and assessed need, ACC may fund or contribute to mobility aids, rehabilitation equipment and modifications that support recovery, safety or independence.
Do not buy expensive equipment first and assume ACC will reimburse it. Funding normally needs to be connected to the accepted injury and the appropriate assessment or approval process. See ACC aids and equipment.
Veterans’ Affairs: MoveSmart is a Veterans’ Affairs supplier
MoveSmart is a Veterans’ Affairs supplier, so we can provide approved equipment where Veterans’ Affairs has authorised the purchase and issued the required approval or purchase order.
Veterans’ Affairs can fund treatment and rehabilitation support for eligible veterans, including equipment for the home to maintain independence, such as walking frames or wheelchairs, as well as some small home modifications such as ramps and rails and some vehicle modifications.
Who may be eligible?
Eligibility depends on the veteran’s service and the particular entitlement being applied for. Veterans’ Affairs uses the term Qualifying Service, which includes Qualifying Routine Service and Qualifying Operational Service. You do not need both. The support available depends on where and when you served, and most treatment or rehabilitation support also requires the relevant health need to be linked to Qualifying Service.
The easiest place to start is the official Veterans’ Affairs eligibility checker and the explanation of Qualifying Service.
If you are already a Veterans’ Affairs client, speak with your case manager before ordering equipment. If equipment is approved, MoveSmart can work from the Veterans’ Affairs authorisation and supply suitable products within the approved scope.
Veterans with Qualifying Service who are having difficulty managing at home may also be eligible for support through the Veterans’ Independence Programme, subject to its criteria.
Viet Nam veterans and their families
There is also a separate Viet Nam Veterans and their Families Trust. This can provide one-off grants to New Zealand Viet Nam veterans and their family members for costs that make day-to-day life easier, including some medically necessary home alterations and practical household items. It sits alongside, rather than replacing, Veterans’ Affairs entitlements.
Work and Income: several different forms of help
Work and Income assistance depends heavily on the type of cost. It is worth distinguishing the main programmes because they are not interchangeable.
Special Needs Grant for emergency medical equipment
A Special Needs Grant is a one-off payment for an essential or emergency cost where you cannot pay another way. Emergency medical equipment can be considered in specific circumstances. Additional income, asset and evidence requirements may apply.
Current policy generally caps emergency medical equipment assistance at $500 unless exceptional circumstances apply, and supporting evidence can be required showing why other health funding is unavailable and what would happen without the equipment.
Disability Allowance
Disability Allowance can help with regular ongoing disability-related costs. It does not normally pay for buying one-off equipment, but eligible ongoing costs can include areas such as rental equipment. This distinction is useful if equipment is needed for a defined period rather than permanently.
Job and Training Support Funds
If disability or a health condition creates extra costs specifically for work, self-employment or work-related training, Job and Training Support Funds may help with specialist disability equipment, workplace modifications, adaptive software, transport or other approved support. These funds are aimed at employment and training rather than general home mobility equipment.
House Modification Funding
Work and Income also administers House Modification Funding in situations where a person has been assessed as needing disability-related changes to their home. The needs assessment remains central to the process.
MoveSmart is a registered Work and Income supplier and can provide itemised quotes for approved equipment purchases or rentals. We also accept WINZ Payment Cards in store where the approved payment can be used with us.
Lottery Fund – Equipment for people with a disability
The previous Lottery Individuals with Disabilities fund has been replaced by the new Lottery Fund – Equipment for people with a disability.
This funding is for people with a permanent disability where the requested equipment will remove barriers to meaningful participation in community life. Eligible equipment can include mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and some vehicle or vehicle-modification costs.
Important limitations include:
- it is intended to supplement, not replace, primary government funding;
- ACC-covered injuries are not eligible for the same need;
- the fund does not generally cover ordinary household equipment primarily intended only for use within the home;
- equipment should not be purchased before the funding decision;
- an independent equipment-needs assessment and evidence of community participation may be required;
- major items may require two current quotes.
Funding rounds and closing dates change, so check the Lottery Fund and Community Matters funding calendar before preparing an application.
Individualised Funding: check your existing allocation
If you already receive Individualised Funding (IF) through Disability Support Services, you may have some flexibility to purchase supports that fit your approved plan and help you live a good life. This is not a general equipment grant, and what can be purchased depends on the person’s allocation and funding rules.
Before using IF for equipment, talk with your IF host and confirm that the purchase is permitted within your current allocation.
Grants for children and young people
For families who do not receive full government funding, several charitable schemes can sometimes help with specific equipment needs.
Variety – the Children’s Charity
Variety Individual Grants can support one-off needs for children aged 5–18, including medical and mobility equipment. Applications for mobility costs require supporting documentation such as a quote and a medical support letter.
Wilson Home Trust
The Wilson Home Trust Equipment and Activity Grant supports eligible children and young people with physical disabilities. Its equipment grants have specific age, financial-need and application criteria, so check the current requirements before applying.
Other charitable and local funding
Local charitable trusts, community foundations, service clubs, iwi or hapū organisations, disability organisations and RSAs may sometimes provide one-off help toward equipment or an unfunded balance. Availability varies significantly by region and personal circumstances.
Firstport is a useful national disability-information service and can help people identify disability services, equipment information and possible sources of support when standard government funding does not meet the need.
Self-funding and payment options
Some people do not meet public funding criteria, need equipment faster than an assessment pathway allows, or prefer a wider choice than the funded option available. In those situations, self-funding can still be practical.
MoveSmart can provide product guidance and itemised quotes so customers can compare the cost of purchase against short-term equipment rental. We also offer a range of accepted payment methods and finance options. Where finance is considered, compare total borrowing cost and repayments carefully before committing.
How MoveSmart can help with a funding application
MoveSmart cannot decide whether a funder will approve an application, but we can help with the supplier side of the process. Depending on the scheme, we can:
- prepare detailed product quotes;
- provide product specifications and measurements;
- work from OT, physiotherapy, ACC, Veterans’ Affairs or other assessor recommendations;
- supply approved equipment where we are an authorised supplier;
- help distinguish between purchase and rental options;
- identify practical alternatives where a requested product is unavailable.
If you are applying through a funder, it is usually best to get approval before purchasing. Contact MoveSmart with the funding organisation, equipment recommendation and any quote requirements, and we can prepare the supplier information you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Veterans’ Affairs pay for a walker or wheelchair?
Potentially, yes. Veterans’ Affairs lists home equipment such as walking frames and wheelchairs among the support it may fund for eligible veterans. Eligibility depends on Qualifying Service, the relevant entitlement and the reason the equipment is needed.
Is MoveSmart a Veterans’ Affairs supplier?
Yes. MoveSmart can supply equipment where Veterans’ Affairs has approved the purchase and provided the required authorisation or purchase order.
Does Disability Support Services fund mobility equipment?
It can. DSS Equipment and Modification Services provide funded or subsidised equipment and modifications for eligible disabled people following appropriate assessment.
Can Work and Income buy mobility equipment for me?
Sometimes, but it depends on the programme. One-off equipment is generally not covered by Disability Allowance; emergency medical equipment may be considered through a Special Needs Grant, while work-related equipment can fall under Job Support Funds.
Can Disability Allowance pay for rented equipment?
Rental equipment can be an eligible ongoing disability-related cost in some circumstances, subject to Work and Income’s normal Disability Allowance criteria and confirmation from a health practitioner.
Can Lottery funding pay for a mobility scooter?
The Lottery Fund – Equipment for people with a disability can fund mobility equipment including scooters where the applicant meets its permanent-disability and community-participation criteria.
Should I buy the equipment first and apply afterwards?
Usually not. Many funders do not reimburse purchases made before approval. Check the funding rules and obtain any required assessment, quotes and authorisation first.
Can MoveSmart provide a funding quote?
Yes. We can prepare itemised quotes for equipment and rentals and provide product information needed for many funding applications.
What if one funder only pays part of the cost?
Some schemes allow co-funding or an application for an unfunded balance, while others do not. Check the rules of each funder before combining funding sources.
Where should I start if I do not know which scheme applies?
Start with why the equipment is needed. Accident-related needs usually begin with ACC; long-term disability with DSS; qualifying military service with Veterans’ Affairs; emergency financial hardship with Work and Income; and community-participation equipment may fit the Lottery Fund. An OT, physiotherapist, GP or other assessor can also help identify the correct pathway.
Important note
Funding criteria, budgets, opening dates and approval processes can change. Eligibility always depends on the individual situation and the funder’s current rules. Check the linked funder website before applying, and contact MoveSmart if you need a current quote or product specifications for the application.