Adults Living with SMA, Holidays
Adults Living with SMA, Holidays
Last checked: July 2026
Accessible accommodation:
Ask about:
- Steps
- Gradients
- Widths of doorways into bedrooms, bathrooms and any other areas such as dining rooms and bars.
Equipment:
- You may need:
- a portable hoist and sling
- a shower chair
- a voltage changer if going overseas – see Taking Wheelchair below
- What’s available onsite – especially in the bathroom?
- If not available, can it be hired, or will you need to bring it with you e.g. a portable hoist?
These organisations also offer advice and hire equipment; others may be available:
National Mobility Hire > – for children’s lightweight wheelchairs as well as mobility aids for adults.
British Red Cross > – to borrow or hire a wheelchair – age 5 years upwards.
Transport:
- If you’re driving, are there suitable parking facilities?
- If you’re not taking your own vehicle and need accessible transport, what’s available?
- Can you hire Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV) or taxis?
Medical Care
What services are nearby?
Take:
- Details of any medications or treatments,
- Your Emergency Health Care Plan
- Contact details for healthcare professionals supporting you.
If you’re going abroad, do you need to take a translation with you?
If you use a powered wheelchair, the option of taking a lighter wheelchair may be either not possible or not your preferred option. If so, to minimise the risk of a breakdown, you might want to have it checked before you go.
If you’re travelling within the UK and your NHS wheelchair breaks down, the local wheelchair service repairs may be able to help.
If you’re going overseas:
- Don’t forget to take the charger and an adapter suitable for the country you’re going to. If the voltage is different, you may also need a voltage changer. Check with the wheelchair manual or ask your supplier or manufacturer.
- Find out in advance if there’s anywhere to get the wheelchair serviced should something happen during the trip.
If travelling by air:
- Check with the airline about transporting a wheelchair.
- See if travel or home insurance covers the wheelchair or any other equipment being taken on holiday. Please see Tab 3 below on insurance.
- See Tab 2 Plane Travel on the Transport, Leisure & Holidays page >
Depending on your circumstances, it can be quite difficult to get insurance and sometimes very expensive (£1000+). Also, it seems to depend on whether you’re staying in Europe or not.
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) > lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.
People in the SMA community have told us that insurance costs seem to vary depending on how you’re travelling. For example, if you’re on a cruise because of the onboard medical assistance if this is needed.
Travel insurance agencies are likely to ask three questions before providing a quote:
1) Do you have swallowing challenges?
2) Do you have respiratory challenges?
3) Have you had any unplanned hospital admissions within the last twelve months?
When you’re sorting out your travel insurance, you might also want to make sure that:
- Any personal assistants going with you are covered.
- You’re covered for cancellations and loss or damage of property, including any equipment. Equipment can sometimes be covered through home or equipment insurance.
Whatever cover you have, check if your insurance would cover the cost of hiring alternative equipment.
If you’re flying, contact the airline in advance and request a ‘special declaration of interest’ for any equipment insured. This will ensure that no limit can be put on an equipment insurance pay out if equipment is damaged by the airline.
Some people within our SMA Community have found insurance with these companies:
You may be looking for something on your own or you may want to take your family. Some of these may be worth looking into:
Access Adventures > – provide fun adaptive programmes and give access to sport and outdoor adventures.
Active8 > – a Cornwall-based youth group supporting young people age 14 – 30 with any type of physical disability and no impactful learning disability. Their projects offer fun new experiences… from screen printing, ceramics, zipwire, cooking, sailing, horse riding, GoKarting, Quad Biking…
Avon Tyrrell > – offer inclusive weekends for families as well as other opportunities at their accessible centre in the New Forest National Park.
Bendrigg Trust > – offer inclusive family weekends for families and other opportunities for young people at their activity centre in Cumbria.
Calvert Trust – a wide range of inclusive family activities at centres in Kielder > and The Lake District >.
Mersea Island Annual Festival > brings together children, young people and adults with or without a physical or learning disability. The Festival provides an opportunity to try out new activities.
Accessible England > Visit England provides information on accessible toilets, accommodation and guidance on planning your trip.
Tourism for All > – helps disabled people plan and take holidays and breaks – both in the UK and overseas.
CanalAbility > – offers accessible canal boat holidays and day trips.
Sandcastle Trust > – offers bespoke family respite, wrap around fun family engagement activities and peer support to support families living with a rare genetic condition (based on their individual needs) from across the UK.
Gov.UK guide on foreign travel for disabled people > – useful tips and links.
These organisations have been recommended to us, many others are available:
Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA)> – guidance on how to work with your travel provider to book holidays that meet your needs. Also information about your legal rights.
A Wheel and Away > – for the independent traveller, who may be disabled, but who still dreams of seeing the world under their own steam. It provides a forum for people to share experiences, inspire others and discover how to go about creating amazing adventures.
Disability Horizons > –travel and holidays.
Tourism for All > – helps disabled people plan and take holidays and breaks – both in the UK and overseas.
Access at Last > – accessible accommodation Europe and the USA.
Airbnb > – worldwide accessible accommodation (use search filters).
A Wheel and Away > – for the independent traveller, who may be disabled, but who still dreams of seeing the world under their own steam. It provides a forum for people to share experiences, inspire others and discover how to go about creating amazing adventures.
Ceiling Hoist users Community (CHuC) > – lists accommodation in the UK and overseas that has ceiling hoists.
Disabled Holidays >– worldwide.
Enable Holidays > – worldwide.
Matching Houses > – house swaps for families with disabled children.
Responsible Travel > – Accessible Holidays Guide, worldwide.
CS Disabled Holidays > – offer grants of up to £2000 per year towards the cost of a holiday of their choice to individuals over 18 who are severely physically disabled by a neurological illness or condition . They also offer up to £2000 per year grants to similarly disabled individuals between 16 and 25 towards the cost of an educational or training trip anywhere in the world.
If you need help with funding, please contact SMA UK’s Support Team > . They may be able to help find other potential sources of funding towards a holiday.