Quick answer
Mobility and disability equipment finance is a loan used to buy items such as powered wheelchairs, scooters, vehicle modifications, hoists, stairlifts and assistive technology. It can work alongside or instead of NDIS or other funding. Ownright Custom Finance looks at personal loan and secured options for participants, carers and families Australia-wide.
Key points
- Equipment is often expensive and needed quickly
- Funding such as the NDIS may cover some items but not always everything
- A loan can bridge waiting times or cover the gap
- Repayments should fit a budget that may already carry extra costs
- Suits
- People with disability, older Australians, carers and families
- Security
- Unsecured, or secured against a vehicle or property
- Typical items
- Wheelchairs, scooters, hoists, stairlifts, vehicle modifications
- Australia-wide
- Yes
How does mobility and disability equipment finance work?
Mobility and disability equipment finance is a loan that pays for the things that make independence possible. That could be a powered wheelchair, a mobility scooter, a ceiling hoist, a stairlift, a ramp, a modified vehicle or specialised technology. The lender pays the supplier or releases the funds, and you repay over an agreed term.
These items are often costly, custom fitted and needed soon. Funding programs help many people, yet gaps and waiting times are common. Finance can fill those gaps, and we help you do so without taking on more than your budget can carry.
What funding might sit alongside a loan?
Government and insurance supports exist for some people and some items. The NDIS, for example, says it can fund assistive technology, devices, repairs and maintenance for participants where they are reasonable and necessary, and it describes different claim processes for low-cost versus mid-cost or high-cost assistive technology. Other programs and insurers may help in specific situations.
We do not assess funding eligibility. That is a matter for the NDIS, My Aged Care, Services Australia, insurers or your health professionals. What we do is look at the borrowing side, including what is left to fund after any approved support.
Who uses this kind of finance?
- NDIS participants with a gap between plan funding and the quote
- People waiting on approval who need equipment now
- Older Australians buying a scooter or stairlift
- Parents of children with additional needs
- Carers modifying a home or vehicle
- Workers recovering from injury or illness
Which items can be financed?
| Item | Typical considerations |
|---|---|
| Powered wheelchair or scooter | Supplier quote, fitting, warranty and servicing |
| Hoist, stairlift or ramp | Installation, home ownership or landlord approval |
| Vehicle modifications | Quote, vehicle age and registration |
| Assistive technology | Eye gaze devices, communication tools, software |
| Home modifications | Larger projects; see renovation loans |
For hearing and vision items, our page on hearing and vision finance goes further.
What do lenders look at?
Income. Wages, pensions, carer payments and other sources may all be considered, with different rules from lender to lender. Our page on Centrelink and pension income loans explains how this works.
Expenses. People living with disability often carry extra costs, and lenders need a truthful picture. Giving the full detail helps avoid problems later.
Credit history. As with any loan, past defaults and enquiries matter. The guide to your free credit report is a helpful first step.
The quote. A written quote from the supplier clarifies cost and scope.
Security. Many loans are unsecured. For larger amounts, a vehicle or property might back the loan, with the usual care about risk.
Can family help?
A partner, parent or friend may be a co-borrower or a guarantor. This can strengthen an application, yet it places responsibility on the other person too. Our guide on what a guarantor is and the risks is worth reading together, and the page on guarantor and family guarantee loans goes deeper.
How Ownright approaches equipment finance
Trevor Scott has spent more than 40 years in finance, and experience teaches that clients in this space deserve patience and clarity. We never rush anyone, never use jargon without explaining it and never promise outcomes we cannot control.
We are Australia-wide, with a head office in Knoxfield, Victoria, and we look across lenders rather than offering a single product. Where another source of funding is likely to suit better, we say so. And if the situation is unusual, we look for the option other brokers may not know exists. Our line is that if Ownright cannot find the solution, no one can, though approval is never guaranteed.
An illustrative example
A participant has an approved plan that covers part of a powered wheelchair, but the supplier’s quote includes extras the plan does not fund. They also need the chair soon. We would confirm what is paid by the plan and what is left, then look at a personal loan for the gap, with a term that suits a pension-based income. If the plan payment arrives later, extra repayments can be discussed with the lender. This is an illustrative scenario only.
What happens if the equipment needs replacing or repairing?
Mobility and assistive equipment is not a one-off cost. Batteries wear, parts fail, needs change and models are superseded. When you plan a loan, it helps to think about the equipment’s whole life. Ask the supplier about warranty length, servicing, replacement batteries and courtesy equipment while repairs are carried out. Some funding programs cover repairs and maintenance for approved items, while private purchases may leave those costs with you.
A loan term that outlasts the useful life of the equipment can leave you paying for something you have already replaced. Matching the term to the realistic lifespan is a simple safeguard. If the equipment is likely to be upgraded as a child grows or a condition changes, a shorter term or a smaller loan may be wiser.
We also encourage people to keep copies of quotes, assessments and approvals together, since lenders, suppliers and funding bodies each ask for different pieces of the same story. A single tidy folder saves a lot of repeated explaining.
Mistakes to avoid
- Borrowing the whole price before checking available funding
- Signing a loan before the supplier’s quote is final
- Assuming pension income cannot support a loan (it sometimes can)
- Leaving out genuine costs of living from the application
- Applying to several lenders at once
What to have ready
- Photo ID
- Supplier quote or invoice
- Evidence of income, including pension statements if relevant
- Details of any funding approved or pending
- A list of current debts
Our guides on how to get loan ready and documents you need can help. When you are ready, send us your details.
Looking for equipment finance that fits?
Sounds like you’re looking for mobility or disability equipment finance. We’re the lending experts in this kind of personal finance, and we go at your pace. Click the button below and see if you qualify.
How it works, step by step
- 1
Step 1
Share the equipment, the quote and any funding already approved or pending.
- 2
Step 2
We work out how much needs to be borrowed after other funding is counted.
- 3
Step 3
We approach lenders comfortable with the purpose and your income, including pensions where relevant.
- 4
Step 4
Funds are paid to the supplier or to you, and the equipment is delivered.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get finance for a mobility scooter or wheelchair?
Often yes. Lenders commonly fund mobility equipment with a quote from a supplier, and the choice may be an unsecured personal loan or something secured. Income, expenses and credit history are assessed as usual. We help match the item and your finances to a suitable lender.
Does the NDIS cover this equipment?
It can, for participants where the item is considered reasonable and necessary and is in the plan. The NDIS describes different processes for low, mid and high cost assistive technology. Not everything is covered, and approvals take time. Contact your NDIS planner, and speak to us about any gap.
Can I use pension or disability support income?
Some lenders consider government payments as income, and others place limits. It depends on the payment type, how long you have received it and your expenses. See our page on Centrelink and pension income loans. We can explain how different lenders treat it.
Can I finance vehicle modifications?
Often, yes, where the lender is comfortable with the quote and the vehicle. Modifications can be financed within a car loan or as a separate personal loan, depending on the structure. Provide the supplier quote and vehicle details early so we can advise on the best fit.
What if I am waiting on funding approval?
A loan can bridge the wait if the equipment is needed now, but there are risks if the funding is declined or reduced. Be clear about what is confirmed and what is hoped for. We talk through the scenarios so the repayment stays manageable if funding changes.
Can a carer or family member apply on my behalf?
A family member can apply as a borrower or co-borrower, or as a guarantor, depending on the structure. Each person is assessed and carries responsibility for the debt. Our guide to guarantors explains the risks. We discuss who should be on the loan before anything is signed.