Hiring makes sense far more often than people assume — for a holiday, while recovering from surgery, for a day out somewhere unfamiliar, or simply to find out whether a scooter suits you before spending four figures on one.
This guide covers the different kinds of hire available in the UK, what each costs, what to check before booking, and the point at which buying becomes the better decision.
Quick answer
Shopmobility schemes in town centres are the cheapest option, often a few pounds a day plus a small membership fee. Local mobility shops typically charge from around £5–£15 a day or £30–£60 a week. National hire companies that deliver to your door usually start around £95–£110 a week including delivery, collection and a handover. Beyond roughly six months, buying generally works out cheaper.
When hiring is the right call
- A holiday or day out — particularly somewhere with long distances, like a theme park, showground or city break.
- Recovery after surgery or injury, where the need is real but temporary.
- Trying before buying. A week with a scooter tells you more than any showroom visit.
- While your own scooter is being repaired. Some dealers hire at a reduced rate if your equipment is with them for service.
- Visiting family, where taking your own scooter is impractical.
- An uncertain prognosis, where you do not yet know whether the need is permanent.
The four kinds of hire
| Type | Best for | How it works | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopmobility | Getting round a town centre or shopping centre | Register, show ID, borrow for a few hours or a day. Usually returned the same day | Often free to around £5–£10 a day, plus a small membership fee |
| Local mobility shop | A week or two at home | Collect from the shop or arrange local delivery | Around £5–£15 a day, or £30–£60 a week |
| National hire company | Delivery to home, hotel, hospital or airport | Booked online or by phone, delivered charged with a demonstration | Commonly from £95–£110 a week, often including delivery |
| Long-term hire or lease | Months at a time, or as an alternative to buying | Weekly or monthly payments over a minimum term, usually including servicing and breakdown | From the high teens per week for portables, more for larger scooters |
Figures are indicative of the UK market at the time of writing and vary considerably by provider, scooter type and region. Many providers quote prices excluding VAT because eligible disabled customers can claim VAT relief — ask how the price is presented before comparing.
Shopmobility: the option most people overlook
Shopmobility schemes lend wheelchairs and scooters to help people get around town and shopping centres. They are usually run by local councils or charities, and the National Federation of Shopmobility is now operated by Driving Mobility.
What to expect:
- Register first. Most schemes ask for two forms of identification showing your name and address.
- A membership fee is common — often a small annual or one-day charge, plus a daily hire charge.
- Book in advance. Many schemes require at least a day's notice, and stock is limited.
- A short training session may be required before your first hire. This is a genuine benefit rather than a hurdle.
- You do not need to be registered disabled, hold a Blue Badge or receive disability benefits at most schemes — having a mobility condition is enough.
Shopmobility is also the lowest-pressure way to build confidence on a scooter before buying one. See our guide to using a mobility scooter.
Hire versus buy: the arithmetic
The break-even point arrives sooner than most people expect.
Take a middle-of-the-road hire at around £150 a month. Six months costs roughly £900 — broadly what a decent new Class 2 scooter costs outright. A full year at that rate is around £1,800, which overlaps with good mid-range models.
A rough rule:
| How long you need it | Usually better to |
|---|---|
| A few days to a few weeks | Hire |
| One to three months | Hire, unless the need looks likely to continue |
| Three to six months | Genuinely borderline — do the sums |
| Six months or more | Buy, or consider a long-term lease with servicing included |
Two things complicate the comparison in hire's favour. Hire usually includes servicing, breakdown support and replacement if the scooter fails, none of which you get when buying. And hire avoids the depreciation and battery replacement costs that come with ownership — see battery replacement and cost.
For purchase prices and running costs, see what mobility scooters cost. If buying outright is the issue rather than the total cost, our guides to finance, grants and buying second-hand cover the alternatives.
Long-term hire as an alternative to owning
Some providers offer hire agreements running for a year or more, priced weekly and designed to feel all-inclusive: servicing, repairs, breakdown recovery and often insurance are built into the payment.
This suits people who want certainty of cost and no responsibility for maintenance, and it avoids the risk of buying the wrong scooter outright. It generally costs more over several years than owning.
If you receive the higher rate mobility component of DLA or the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP, the Motability Scheme is a separate leasing route worth checking first, since it exchanges part of your allowance for an all-inclusive lease.
What to check before you book
- What is included in the price? Delivery, collection, insurance or damage cover, breakdown support, and a demonstration. Delivery can add £10–£30 each way if not included.
- Is there a deposit? Some providers ask £50–£100; others none at all.
- Minimum hire period. Many national providers hire by the week, not the day.
- Maximum user weight, which must comfortably exceed your own.
- Realistic range, not the brochure figure — ask what it manages in practice on hills. See real-world range.
- Class of scooter. Most hire fleets are Class 2 pavement scooters, which need no DVLA paperwork. An 8mph Class 3 scooter must be registered before it is used on the road — ask who holds the registration.
- Does it dismantle? If you need to move it by car, check the heaviest single part. Folding and dismantling models differ considerably in how easy this is.
- What happens if it breaks down? Response times and whether a replacement is provided.
- Charging. The charger should come with it, and you should be shown how to use it.
- Damage liability. What you are responsible for, and what excess applies.
Insurance and damage
Hire agreements vary in how they handle damage. Some include cover in the price, some sell it as a daily add-on, and some hold you liable for the full repair cost.
Ask specifically about third-party liability — if you injure someone or damage property while riding a hired scooter, you need to know whether anyone is covering that. Insurance is not legally required for scooters, so nothing is guaranteed. Our guide to mobility scooter insurance explains what cover normally includes.
Hiring on holiday
In the UK, many seaside towns, national parks, heritage sites and large attractions have hire available on site or nearby. Book ahead in peak season — stock is limited and summer weekends go quickly.
Abroad, hiring at your destination is often easier than flying with your own scooter, which brings battery watt-hour limits, advance airline approval and the risk of handling damage. If you are weighing that up, see taking a mobility scooter on a plane.
When hiring abroad, confirm what happens if the scooter fails, whether delivery to your accommodation is included, and what you are liable for. Check your travel insurance too, as mobility equipment cover is not automatic.
Using hire to try before you buy
This is the most underrated reason to hire, and it answers questions a showroom cannot:
- Does it fit through your front door and turn in your hallway?
- Does it cope with your local pavements, kerbs and hills?
- Can you get it into the car, if that matters?
- Is the seat comfortable after an hour, not after five minutes?
- Does the range cover your actual routes?
- Where will it live, and can you get it in and out easily?
A week of hire costing £60–£100 is cheap insurance against buying the wrong scooter. Many dealers will also arrange a home demonstration free of charge, and some deduct hire costs from a subsequent purchase — worth asking. Our guides to choosing a mobility scooter and the types of mobility scooter available cover what to assess while you have it.
Common mistakes
- Not booking ahead in peak season. Holiday hire sells out.
- Comparing headline prices only. Delivery, collection and damage cover change the total substantially.
- Assuming VAT is included. Many providers quote excluding VAT for customers eligible for relief.
- Hiring for months without doing the sums. Past six months, buying usually wins.
- Not checking the maximum user weight.
- Skipping the handover. Take the demonstration, especially on an unfamiliar model.
- Forgetting the charger, or not being shown how to use it.
- Not asking about liability if you damage the scooter or injure someone.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a mobility scooter in the UK?
Shopmobility schemes are cheapest, often a few pounds a day plus a small membership fee. Local mobility shops typically charge around £5–£15 a day or £30–£60 a week. National hire companies that deliver commonly start at £95–£110 a week including delivery and collection. Prices vary widely by provider and region.
What is Shopmobility?
A network of local schemes lending wheelchairs and scooters to help people get around town and shopping centres, usually run by councils or charities. You register with identification, may pay a small membership and daily charge, and often need to book a day ahead. You generally do not need to be registered disabled or hold a Blue Badge.
Is it cheaper to hire or buy a mobility scooter?
Hire for short-term needs, buy for permanent ones. As a rough guide, six months of hire costs about the same as a decent new Class 2 scooter. Hire includes servicing and breakdown support and avoids battery replacement costs, so the comparison is not purely about the headline figure.
Do I need insurance to hire a mobility scooter?
Not by law, but check what the hire agreement covers. Some include damage cover, some sell it separately, and some make you liable for repairs. Ask specifically about third-party liability if you injure someone or damage property while riding.
Can I hire a mobility scooter for a holiday?
Yes, and it is often easier than travelling with your own. Many UK resorts, attractions and national parks have hire nearby, and specialist companies deliver to hotels and airports. Book ahead in peak season. Hiring at an overseas destination avoids the battery rules and handling risks of flying with a scooter.
Can I try a scooter before buying one?
Yes. Hire for a week and test it on your own routes, doorways and storage. Many dealers also offer free home demonstrations, and some will offset hire costs against a purchase. Trying a scooter where you will actually use it is far more revealing than a showroom.
Do hire scooters need DVLA registration?
Most hire fleets are Class 2 pavement scooters, which need no registration. If you hire an 8mph Class 3 scooter intending to use it on the road, it must be registered with the DVLA — ask the provider to confirm the registration is in place. See our guide to UK mobility scooter laws.
The short version
For days and weeks, hire. For anything past about six months, do the arithmetic, because buying usually wins. And if you are unsure whether a scooter suits you at all, a week's hire on your own streets is the most useful money you can spend before committing.
When you are ready to compare models, our guide to travel scooters is a sensible starting point, alongside the wider range of mobility scooters available and the folding and portable models if boot space or storage is your main constraint.
