Accessible Travel and Insurance
Insurance
When planning your trip, purchasing travel insurance is essential. Policies typically cover medical expenses, equipment, and cancellations. This means that if you fall ill or have an accident during your travels, you’ll receive support and be able to recover some of your costs.
Previously, some families have chosen these travel insurance providers:
Allclear – https://www.allcleartravel.co.uk
Staysure – https://www.staysure.co.uk
GHIC
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) allows you to access public healthcare in Europe at reduced rates, or sometimes free of charge. If you still have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), it’s valid until its expiry date; afterward, you should apply for a GHIC as a replacement. Remember, GHIC and EHIC are not substitutes for travel insurance.
Holidaying abroad
Airports
All UK airports are legally required to provide special assistance to disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility, free of charge. It is recommended by our families to request assistance at least 14 days in advance through the airline. Special assistance helps with arrivals, navigating the airport, check-in, security, boarding and disembarking. While all airports provide this service, the specific facilities (such as sensory rooms or specialised equipment) may differ between larger and smaller airports. All UK airports are legally required to provide equipment to assist a person onto a place, this could be an Ambulift, high-lifts or ramps.
Eagle Hoist
The Eagle Hoist, also referred to as the Eagle 2 or 3 Lifter is a specialised mobile hoist used at airports to safely transfer passengers with reduced mobility from their wheelchair into an aircraft seat. The following airports have Eagle Hoists –
London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.
Manual handling aids
From experience, our families have found the Promove or the AbleSling an essential piece of equipment to take on flights to assist moving your young person into their seat.
https://ablemove.co.uk/product/transfer-sling-for-wheelchair-users/
Useful Facebook Groups for accessible breaks
Accessible, Adapted or Disabled Holiday Lets, Places to visit & Days Out UK –
http://www.facebook.com/groups/Accessible.hols.places.days/?ref=share
Accessible Holidays and Day Trips –
http://www.facebook.com/groups/807465622675204/?ref=share
Accessible & Adapted Foreign Holidays for Disabled People (UK based) –
http://www.facebook.com/groups/1259497954693052/?ref=share
Accessible accommodations
Strongbones Children’s Charitable Trust – Shorefield Country Park, Hampshire
https://www.strongbones.org.uk/grant/
Two fully adapted, accessible holiday homes, right on the southern edge of the New Forest, just a short walk away from the peaceful shingled shores of the beach at Milford-on-sea. Both holiday homes have profiling beds, ceiling track hoists, shower cradles and access to a Delichon Delta all-terrain buggy.
Brickhouse Farm Cottages – Hambleton, Lancaster
https://brickhousecottages.co.uk
12 award-winning, purpose-built cottages where accessibility is a main focus. Cottages vary from 2 or 5 bedrooms with thoughtful accessible features, including level access throughout the ground floor and patio areas, ceiling track hoisting systems and wet rooms.
Holistic Thinking Holidays – Norfolk, Somerset, Lincolnshire, North Wales, West Sussex, Cornwall, Dorset, Yorkshire and Northumberland.
https://holisticthinkingholidays.co.uk/home
11 fully adapted caravans, throughout the UK that offer accommodation for the family, including hoists and profiling beds.
Disabled Holidays – UK and abroad
https://www.disabledholidays.com
One of the UK largest accessible holiday specialists, helping thousands of families, couples and groups travel with confidence every year.
Bendrigg Trust – Cumbria
Accessible, all-inclusive activity breaks for disabled children and adults.
Calvert Trust – Kielder, Lake District and Devon
https://www.calvertkielder.org.uk
These three locations owned by The Calvert Trust offer accessible, outdoor adventure days, holidays and experiences where relaxation and escape meet exploration, learning adventure and fun.
Centre Parcs – 7 locations throughout the UK
Centre Parcs offer specifically adapted accommodation and can supply specialised equipment, eg shower chairs, mobile hoists, for your visit.
Additional information –
Family Fund – Family Breaks –
https://www.familyfund.org.uk/grants/what-can-i-use-the-grant-for/family-breaks/
Make memories through a family breaks grant – offered by a selection of our UK partners including Haven Holidays, Butlins and Disneyland Paris. Choose from a range of accessible, fun and scenic breaks in the UK, or overseas, so you can spend quality time together as a family.
Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT) –
Families can spend 2 nights at CAFT, either staying in one of the fully accessible, wheelchair friendly flats or in the farmhouse. Families have access to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Residential hosts will provide meals and the CAFT crew will be on hand for activities. Children must be accompanied by their parents/guardians/carers at all times for the duration of the stay.
Jumbulance Trust
Specialising in organising group travel across the UK and Europe. The Jumbulance is a custom-built vehicle with lift access, spacious interiors for wheelchairs or beds, accessible toilets and full-equipped galley kitchens.
Changing Places – Throughout the UK
https://www.changing-places.org
Finding accessible toilets in the UK, helping you plan your next trip.
Transport for London –
https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/wheelchair-access-and-avoiding-stairs
Step-free access means lifts, ramps and level surfaces so you don’t have to use stairs or escalators, and can avoid the step and gap onto our trains, buses and boats.
Blue badge parking – Worldwide
http://www.bluebadgeparking.com
BlueBadgeParking.com is a free, worldwide map and database of disabled / handicap parking places.
Black cabs, London – All black cabs in London are now wheelchair accessible via a ramp, however you may struggle if you have a larger wheelchair. Addison Lee have Wheelchair Adapted Vehicles (WAVs) with a lift or ramp that can be booked in advance.
https://www.addisonlee.com/addlib/supporting-passengers-with-accessibility-needs/
Merlin’s Magic Wand –
https://www.merlinsmagicwand.org
A children’s charity dedicated to bringing joy and connection to children around the world, offering Magical Days Out, Magic on Tour and Magic Spaces.
AccessMyles –
A website specifically for wheelchair users that want to travel and explore, that may face barriers on their journey.
