Most ramps that get returned were not faulty. They were too short, too narrow, or rated for less weight than the scooter and rider actually put on them. Ramps are one of the few mobility purchases where the maths matters more than the brand, and getting the length wrong turns a helpful aid into something genuinely unsafe.
This guide covers how to work out the length you need, which type of ramp suits which problem, the measurements to take before you order, and where UK rules on gradients, planning permission and VAT relief apply.
Quick answer
Measure the vertical height you need to climb, then multiply it by the gradient ratio to get the minimum ramp length. At 1:12 — the steepest gradient normally recommended — a 150mm step needs a 1.8m ramp. At the gentler 1:15, it needs 2.25m. Then check the ramp’s rated capacity covers the scooter, the rider and anything being carried, and that it is wide enough for your scooter.
Work out the length first
Everything starts with the rise: the vertical distance from the lower surface to the upper one. Measure it with a tape held vertically, not along the slope, and measure at the point where the ramp will actually sit. Doorsteps are often not level across their width.
Then multiply. A 1:12 gradient means one unit of height for every twelve units of length, so a 200mm rise needs 2,400mm of ramp. Gentler gradients are easier and safer:
| Rise (height of step) | Length at 1:12 steepest, short runs only |
Length at 1:15 comfortable |
Length at 1:20 easiest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50mm (2in) — threshold | 0.6m | 0.75m | 1.0m |
| 100mm (4in) — low kerb | 1.2m | 1.5m | 2.0m |
| 150mm (6in) — single step | 1.8m | 2.25m | 3.0m |
| 200mm (8in) — deep step | 2.4m | 3.0m | 4.0m |
| 300mm (12in) — two steps | 3.6m | 4.5m | 6.0m |
| 450mm (18in) — three steps | 5.4m | 6.75m | 9.0m |
As angles, 1:12 is roughly 8.3% or 4.8 degrees, 1:15 is about 6.7% or 3.8 degrees, and 1:20 is 5% or 2.9 degrees. They sound gentle written down. On a wet morning with a full shopping basket, the difference between them is very noticeable.
Two practical points the calculation does not capture. You need level ground at both ends — enough space to line up straight before you start the climb and to stop safely at the top. And you should follow the ramp manufacturer’s own stated maximum gradient, which some quote as steeper than 1:12 for short, assisted use. If the manufacturer’s figure is steeper than the building guidance, treat the building guidance as the target and the manufacturer’s figure as an absolute limit, not a recommendation.
Types of mobility scooter ramp
| Type | What it’s for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold ramp | Door thresholds, patio doors and small lips, typically up to about 75mm | Rubber ones can creep on smooth floors; check for anti-slip backing or fixings |
| Kerb ramp | A single kerb, usually at a driveway or gate | Not designed for steps; check it cannot be pushed out of place by the scooter’s weight |
| Folding suitcase ramp | One or two steps; folds lengthways with a carry handle | A full-width platform is far more forgiving than channels — usually the best portable choice for a scooter |
| Roll-up ramp | Portable access with compact storage | Needs a firm, even surface underneath; check the rated capacity carefully |
| Channel or telescopic ramps | Two separate tracks, one per wheel; light and very compact | Generally unsuitable for three-wheel scooters, and risky for wide or low-clearance models. Wheel positions vary between scooters in a way they do not between wheelchairs |
| Modular or semi-permanent ramp | Long-term home access, bolted together, often with handrails and landings | Needs proper siting and a level base; may need permission if it changes the front of the house |
| Permanent built ramp | Concrete or timber, built into the property | Building regulations, planning permission and drainage all come into play |
For a scooter specifically, a full-width folding platform is usually the safer buy. Channel ramps are cheaper and lighter, but they assume your wheels will land where the tracks are, and scooters vary far more in track width and wheel position than wheelchairs do.
The weight capacity mistake
A ramp’s rated capacity has to carry everything that goes up it, not just the rider. That means the scooter, the rider, whatever is in the basket, and anyone walking alongside if they will be on the ramp too.
Work it out properly:
- Mid-size scooter: often 50–70kg
- Larger road-legal scooter: frequently over 100kg
- Rider: your actual weight, not an estimate
- Shopping, oxygen, a bag: 5–15kg is easy to reach
A 60kg scooter with a 95kg rider and 10kg of shopping is 165kg going up the slope. A ramp rated at 270kg gives you a sensible margin; one rated at 180kg does not. Do not use the scooter’s maximum user weight as a shortcut — that figure describes the scooter, not the load on the ramp. If you are near the upper end of the weight range, our guide to scooters with higher weight limits explains how the stated figures are set.
Width and ground clearance
Two measurements catch people out after the ramp arrives.
Width. Measure your scooter at its widest point with everything fitted — mirrors, armrests set out, anti-tip wheels. Then allow room for steering correction. A ramp exactly as wide as your scooter leaves no margin for a slightly crooked approach. Raised edges or kerb rails along the ramp are worth having for exactly this reason.
Ground clearance and wheelbase. The tightest point on any ramp is not the slope itself, it is the transition at the top and bottom where the angle changes. A long scooter with low ground clearance can bridge that transition and ground out on its belly pan, lifting a driven wheel off the surface. The longer the ramp and the gentler the gradient, the less likely this becomes — another reason not to buy the shortest ramp that technically fits.
If you are still choosing a scooter and ramp access is part of your daily routine, factor it into the decision. Our guides to types of mobility scooter and how to choose a mobility scooter cover dimensions and clearance, and smaller, compact models are worth a look if your access is genuinely tight.
Loading a scooter into a car
This is a different problem, and it deserves its own thinking. A car boot lip is typically 600–750mm off the ground. At 1:12 that would need a ramp over seven metres long, which nobody carries. In practice, boot loading ramps are used at much steeper angles than any building guidance would allow.
That has consequences:
- Do not ride a scooter up a steep boot ramp. The risk of tipping backwards is real. Loading ramps are generally intended for walking the scooter up under power beside you, or for use with a winch or hoist.
- A powered hoist is often the better answer for heavier scooters, and removes the manual handling entirely.
- Check your car, not just the ramp. Boot aperture height and width, the internal length with seats down, and the suspension load are all limiting factors.
Sometimes the honest conclusion is that the scooter is the wrong tool for car transport rather than the ramp being wrong. A dismantling or folding model that lifts in sections avoids the problem completely. Our guides to folding mobility scooters, lightweight models and the travel scooter comparison cover that route, and there are ready-made options in the car boot scooters and folding mobility scooters categories if you are reconsidering the scooter as well as the ramp.
Surface, grip and staying put
Aluminium is the standard material: strong, weather-resistant and light enough to move. What varies is the surface. Look for a milled, punched or grit-coated tread rather than a smooth finish, because wet aluminium in a British winter offers very little grip, and scooter tyres do not clear water the way a car tyre does.
Also check how the ramp stays in place. Portable ramps usually rely on a curved lip resting on the step, plus the weight of the ramp and user. That works on a firm, level surface. On loose gravel, wet decking or a sloping path, it may not, and some ramps supply securing straps or fixing points for this reason. If you are placing a ramp on the same spot every day, fixing it properly is worth the effort.
Storage matters too. Portable ramps live outdoors or in a shed unless you carry them in, and the same weather that reaches the ramp reaches the scooter — our guide to storing a scooter safely covers covers, charging and security.
What UK rules actually say
A portable ramp you place against your own back step is not regulated in the way a built ramp is. But the building guidance is still the best available benchmark for what is safe, so it is worth knowing.
Approved Document M (Access to and use of buildings) sets gradient limits for ramps in building work. In Volume 2, covering buildings other than dwellings, the steepest permitted gradient is 1:12, and only for a short flight with a going of up to 2m. A 5m going requires around 1:15, and a 10m going requires 1:20, with interpolation allowed in between. Ramps should not run more than 10m without a level resting platform, and landings are normally at least 1,500mm long.
Width guidance differs by setting: around 900mm minimum for ramps serving dwellings, and 1,500mm for buildings other than dwellings, so that two people can pass. For dwellings, the guidance favours a gentler 1:20 approach where it is reasonable to achieve.
Approved Document K covers protection from falling, which is where edge protection and handrails on raised ramps come in.
Planning permission. A portable or fold-away ramp is unlikely to need permission. A permanent ramp that changes the external appearance of the front of a house may well need it, particularly for a listed building, in a conservation area, or with shared access in a block of flats. Where a planning application is solely to improve access, safety or comfort for a disabled person at their home, it is normally exempt from the planning fee. Check with your local planning authority before building anything fixed.
Businesses have separate obligations. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers must make reasonable adjustments where a physical feature makes access unreasonably difficult, which is why portable ramps are common at shop entrances. If you are buying for a business rather than a home, take proper advice on compliance.
Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own building standards, so if you are outside England, check the equivalent local guidance. General road and pavement rules for scooters are covered in our UK mobility scooter laws guide.
VAT relief and funding
Two separate reliefs apply here, and people often confuse them.
Building a ramp into your home. GOV.UK guidance confirms you do not pay VAT on having a ramp constructed in or into your home because of your disability. That relief does not extend to lowering the level of a doorway threshold or replacing floor coverings. There is also a reduced 5% rate on the installation of ramps and certain other mobility aids for people aged 60 or over.
Buying a portable ramp. Many retailers sell mobility ramps at 0% VAT to eligible buyers who complete a short eligibility declaration. The relief depends on the product being designed solely for use by disabled people, which is a narrower test than it sounds, so confirm the position with the retailer before assuming the price you see includes it. HMRC’s Notice 701/7 sets out the detail.
For a permanent adaptation, a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council may cover part or all of the cost following an assessment, usually by an occupational therapist. Our guide to grants and funding explains how these schemes work and who qualifies.
Measurements to take before you order
Write these down and take them to the retailer. Five minutes with a tape measure prevents the most common return.
- The rise — vertical height from lower surface to upper, measured at the ramp position.
- Available run — how much flat length you actually have in front of the step. This is often the real constraint.
- Approach space — can you line up straight, or will you be turning onto the ramp? Turning onto a ramp needs extra width.
- Scooter width at its widest point, with mirrors and armrests as you use them.
- Scooter length and ground clearance, for the transition points.
- Total load — scooter plus rider plus anything carried.
- Doorway width if the ramp leads through a door, since the ramp only solves the height.
- Where the ramp will be stored, and whether you can lift its folded weight.
Common mistakes
- Buying the shortest ramp that fits the space. If the space forces a gradient steeper than about 1:12, the answer is usually a different access point, not a steeper ramp.
- Using channel ramps with a three-wheel scooter. The single front wheel has nowhere safe to run.
- Forgetting the top landing. You need somewhere level to stop, and enough room to open the door you are heading for.
- Ignoring the ramp’s own weight. A ramp you cannot lift and position each day will not get used.
- Riding up a steep boot ramp. Use a hoist or a scooter that dismantles instead.
- Approaching at an angle. Straight on, slowly, every time — our guide to using a mobility scooter covers slope technique.
- Assuming a ramp fixes a doorway. Height and width are separate problems.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a mobility scooter ramp be?
Multiply the vertical rise by the gradient ratio. At the steepest commonly recommended gradient of 1:12, a 150mm step needs 1.8m of ramp and a 300mm rise needs 3.6m. At the gentler and more comfortable 1:15, the same rises need 2.25m and 4.5m. Where you have the space, 1:20 is easier again. Always leave level ground at the top and bottom.
What gradient is safe for a mobility scooter?
Aim for 1:15 to 1:20 where space allows, and treat 1:12 as the steepest you should plan for. Approved Document M permits 1:12 only for short flights, requiring gentler gradients as the ramp gets longer. A steeper ramp is harder to climb, harder to control on the way down, and increases the risk of the scooter tipping.
Are channel ramps suitable for mobility scooters?
Sometimes, but with real caution. Channel ramps are two separate tracks positioned under each wheel, which works well for wheelchairs with predictable wheel spacing. They are generally unsuitable for three-wheel scooters, and wide or low-clearance four-wheel scooters can catch between or beneath them. A full-width folding platform ramp is usually the safer choice for a scooter.
Do I need planning permission for a wheelchair or scooter ramp?
Portable and fold-away ramps normally do not need permission. A permanent ramp that alters the external appearance of your home may, especially for listed buildings, conservation areas or flats with shared access. Applications made solely to improve access for a disabled person at their home are usually exempt from the planning fee. Check with your local planning authority before starting work.
Can I get a mobility ramp VAT-free?
Possibly. GOV.UK confirms that having a ramp built in or into your home because of your disability is zero-rated, though this does not cover lowering a doorway threshold. Many portable ramps are also sold at 0% VAT to eligible buyers who sign a declaration, but this depends on the product qualifying, so confirm with the retailer rather than assuming.
What weight should a scooter ramp be rated for?
Enough to carry the scooter, the rider and anything being carried, with margin to spare. A mid-size scooter and rider commonly totals 150–200kg before shopping, so a ramp rated well above that figure is sensible. Never rely on the scooter’s maximum user weight as a substitute for adding up the actual load.
Can I use a ramp to get my scooter into the car?
Only with care. A boot lip is high enough that any carryable ramp will be far steeper than building guidance allows, so loading ramps are generally intended for walking the scooter up alongside you or for use with a winch, not for riding. For heavier scooters, a powered hoist or a dismantling scooter is usually a better answer.
Choosing well
Measure the rise, decide the gradient you want to live with, and let those two numbers set the ramp length. Then check width, capacity and ground clearance against your actual scooter rather than a general specification. A ramp that is a little longer and a little stronger than the minimum is the one you will still be using confidently in five years.
For related equipment and the other additions that earn their place, see our mobility scooter accessories guide.
