Mobility Ramps

What Mobility Ramps Cover

Mobility ramps are ramps chosen for whatever aid a person uses to get about, not only wheelchairs. The same back step can be a problem for a rollator, a powerchair, a mobility scooter and a parent with a buggy, but each of those needs something slightly different from the ramp. A household with more than one aid often has to find a design that works for all of them.

This page is organised by mobility aid. Find the one that matches your situation, note what matters for it, and then compare the folding ramps in the cards with those points in mind.

Mobility Ramps for Rollators and Walking Frames

People who walk with a rollator or frame often find a shallow ramp easier than a step, but only if the surface feels secure underfoot. A slippery deck, a sharp lip at the top or a narrow ramp with no rail can be more worrying than the step it replaces.

• Look for a ribbed or gritted surface that grips shoes as well as wheels.
• A handrail on at least one side helps with balance, especially on longer ramps.
• The ramp should be wide enough for the frame and the person’s feet together.

For a single step at the front door, our page on the step ramp for elderly users looks at this situation in more detail.

Ramps for Manual Wheelchairs

A manual wheelchair is light and narrow, so most ramps will physically fit it. The question is effort. A person who self-propels will tire quickly on a steep climb, and a carer pushing from behind needs a ramp long enough that they are not straining uphill.

Channel ramps, which are two separate tracks, suit a carer-pushed chair with a fixed wheel spacing but are unsuitable for self-propelling users who cannot see their wheels. A full-width folding deck is more forgiving. Edge upstands help stop a castor slipping off.

Ramps for Powerchairs

Powerchairs are heavy, and the weight is concentrated on the drive wheels. A ramp for one needs a stated capacity that covers the user, the chair and its battery together, and a surface that the tyres can grip without spinning.

Length matters too. A powerchair can climb most gentle ramps without trouble, but the footplates and anti-tip wheels can catch at the top or bottom if the change in angle is too sharp. Ask the seller how the ramp meets the step, and whether there is a smooth transition plate at each end.

Ramps for Mobility Scooters

Scooters are longer than chairs and turn in a wider circle, so there has to be room at the top of the ramp to straighten up before a door. They are also heavy and have small wheels, which can catch on gaps between ramp sections.

A scooter ramp is often used at a shed, garage or back gate as much as at the house. For loading a scooter into a car or van, a different kind of ramp is needed, and our guide to ramps for mobility scooters for cars explains the folding and telescopic designs used for vehicles.

Households with More Than One Aid

Many homes need a ramp that works for a walker in the morning and a wheelchair in the afternoon, or for two different people. In that case, a full-width deck with edges and a rail usually covers more needs than channel tracks. It also helps visitors with buggies and shopping trolleys.

Think about the heaviest aid when checking capacity, and the least confident walker when thinking about grip and rails. A ramp that satisfies both usually works for everyone else too.

Mobility Ramps for the Car

Getting a chair or scooter into a vehicle is a separate job from getting it into the house. Car ramps are longer, lighter and designed to rest on a boot sill or van floor, and they often come with a carry bag.

If you already have a portable ramp for the house, check whether it is long enough for the car before buying a second one. It may not be, because vehicle floors are usually higher than a single step. Our page on mobility car ramps covers what to measure.

Portable, Roll-Up and Fixed Options

Mobility ramps come in a few main forms. Folding aluminium ramps are the most common and suit steps and door sills. Roll-up ramps are made from linked slats and can be rolled into a bag, which makes them easy to carry but less rigid underfoot. Fixed and modular ramps stay in place and suit an entrance used every day.

If carrying is the main issue, our page on the roll-up wheelchair ramp looks at how that design handles in practice. For a route that is used many times a day, a modular or built ramp is usually worth the extra planning.

Measuring Before You Buy a Mobility Ramp

Good measurements save a lot of returns. Before you compare listings, write down the height of each step or sill from the lower ground to the top surface, measured where the wheels will actually run. Measure the space in front of the step, because a longer ramp needs room to land on flat ground rather than on a lawn edge or a drain cover.

Note the clear width of the door and path, and whether a door swings over the area where the ramp will sit. For scooters and powerchairs, measure the space at the top to stop and turn. Finally, check what the ramp will rest on: a smooth step, a weather bar, a raised sill or a sloping path each need a different kind of top lip. Take these notes with you when you speak to a seller or an installer, and ask them to confirm the ramp length they would suggest for the height you have measured.

Storage, Weather and Upkeep

A ramp that is left outside all year needs a surface that copes with rain, frost and leaves. Aluminium does not rust, but grit and moss can build up in the grooves and make the deck slippery, so a stiff brush now and then keeps it working. Rubber and composite decks can fade in strong sunlight.

Portable ramps last longer when they are stored dry and folded, with the hinges and locking pins checked before each use. If a ramp starts to bend, rock or make new noises, stop using it and contact the seller or maker for advice rather than carrying on.

Who Can Help Plan a Mobility Ramp

For anything beyond a single step, an occupational therapist can assess the person and the entrance together. Councils arrange these assessments, and the NHS guidance on mobility equipment explains how to get equipment advice locally.

For fixed ramps, a professional installer can look at drainage, foundations and whether the ramp needs any permission. Tenants should always check with the landlord first. For a broad overview of home options, see our guide to ramps for homes.

Using the Cards on This Page

The ramps shown below are folding designs with different decks, rails and handles. Use the notes above to decide what matters most for your mobility aid, then compare the surface, edges and carrying options. Always check the stated capacity and length on the listing, and ask the seller if anything is unclear.