Left in the Lurch: How the disability aids market is failing its customers

Left in the Lurch: How the disability aids market is failing its customers 3.49 MB

A screen reader accessible version of the report can be found here 573 KB

There are over 16 million disabled people in the UK. Many of them rely on disability aids such as mobility scooters, stairlifts and hearing aids to navigate their daily lives. When these products work well they allow people to live more autonomously. They provide disabled people with dignity and control over everyday activities, and enable social inclusion.

However, our data shows that all too often, the disability aids market is failing consumers. In 2023, Citizens Advice received one complaint every hour about a disability aid purchase. Our analysis of these cases has found that consumers are often experiencing multiple, inter-connected problems across the whole consumer journey. And these issues are having wide-reaching consequences on consumers’ financial, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Action is needed to protect vulnerable consumers and ensure a healthy marketplace. This is why we are calling for:

• the CMA should review standards across the market to identify common failings.

• the CMA should investigate whether there are issues along the supply chain that could help to explain the poor product quality standards in this market.

• the CMA, if appropriate, should identify whether there are specific bad actors in this marketplace.

• the Department for Business and Trade to consider whether general consumer protection regulations are sufficient to ensure protection for consumers in this market, or if further protections are required (e.g. mandatory ADR, single binding code standards and accreditation).