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As a starting point, we would encourage you to download and complete a Customer Requirements Compatibility Checklist to assist you in considering what to be thinking about whilst looking at adaptations or a new vehicle.
You may also want to consider a driving assessment, driving lesson or product demonstration.
If you would like to discuss your options, please call our experienced customer service team for advice.
All our adaptations are available throughout the UK through our dedicated network of trained installers. In order to make the process of installing adaptations easier, the vast majority of installers can fit our products on-site at a dealership or home address.
If you are within a 60 mile radius of our workshop we are able to come to you. This is not definitive, and we often travel further to ensure you receive our excellent mobile installation service. We cover areas of North Wales, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire.
The order process differs depending on whether you are adapting a privately owned vehicle or Motability Scheme lease vehicle.
Our adaptations can be installed on new and used privately owned vehicles. To obtain a quotation and order an adaptation, the installation company should be contacted.
If you are within our area, please contact us to schedule the installation. If you are outside of our area, you can still have our adaptations installed on your vehicle. Please contact us to find out your local installer of our products.
We guarantee same day dispatch for adaptation orders received before 12.00pm, offering you the best possible service throughout our installer network.
For more information about purchasing a new car VAT Free, please see the detailed section below.
When ordering adaptations to be fitted on a Motability vehicle, the order must be placed through the Motability system by the dealership so any offered subsidy is applied and the vehicle insurance is correct.
During the order process, the preferred installer will need to be requested. If you are within our area, please select ‘Jeff Gosling Ltd’ as the preferred installer. If you are out of our area, please contact us to find out your local installer of our products.
If the salesperson at the dealership needs any assistance when processing the Motability order, our product naming list may be helpful or they can contact us and we will be happy to talk them through selecting the correct adaptations.
For more information about Motability and whether you are eligible for a Motability vehicle, please
see below
or visit their website, www.motability.co.uk.
Jeff Gosling adaptations are available to Motability customers when ordered through the Motability Operations scheme. Many products are heavily subsidised by Motability but may require a customer contribution whereas other products may require full payment by the customer. If you have an amount to pay for your adaptations, you may be able to apply for funding via a grant from the Motability Foundation.
To automatically receive any subsidy offered by Motability, the adaptations must be ordered and installed before you take delivery of the vehicle. If adaptations need installing during your Motability lease due to a change in circumstances, we advise that you contact Motability to discuss the options available.
Adaptations installed on non-Motability vehicles will need to be paid for in full. You may be able to receive funding to assist with these costs if required. All our adaptations are invoiced at 0% VAT if we are invoicing the disabled customer directly.
If your health or disability affects the way you do your job, Access to Work may be able to help with extra costs which may arise because of your needs (e.g. adapting a vehicle you use to get to/from work).
You may be able to get financial help from Access to Work if you are: in a paid job, unemployed and about to start work, or self-employed. www.gov.uk/access-to-work.
If you are getting a Motability Scheme lease vehicle, many adaptations are subsidised as standard. If
you
need further financial support towards your contribution for the vehicle or adaptations, Motability
offer a
Scheme-Related Grant Programme providing additional financial support to people who are using the
Motability
Scheme. www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/charitable-grants.
Motability also have a grant programme available providing financial support towards mobility support outside of the Motability Scheme. www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/charitable-grants.
You may be able to approach a national or local charity to help with payment for adaptations. Details for national and local charities can be found in local telephone directories or through the internet.
Some people with disabilities are eligible to purchase an adapted vehicle with zero-rated VAT. There is a limit of one VAT exempt vehicle purchase for an eligible individual every 3 years.
These regulations are governed by VAT Notice 1615 and the guidance sheet is available on the gov.uk website here.
For guidance on eligibility and invoicing for VAT free vehicles, please download our guidance sheet.
Driving Mobility is a network of independent organisations who offer information, advice and assessments to individuals who have a medical condition or are recovering from an accident or injury which may affect their ability to drive, access or egress a motor vehicle.
If you are unsure of the correct adaptations to assist you with driving, a driving assessment may be the solution. To find out where your local centre is, and more about the services they offer, visit www.drivingmobility.org.uk.
You can also find out more about the process of having an assessment by reading our informative interview with staff from an assessment centre.
You may be able to gain further guidance and support about returning to driving from a suitable organisation with a specific focus. Some of these organisations are listed on the Links page of our website.
Many of the adaptation installation companies based around the UK have their own demonstration vehicles or demonstration facilities. If you would like to discuss a product demonstration with your local installer, please contact us for their details.
Driving lessons in adapted vehicles are available either for learning to drive to pass a driving test, or for drivers new to adaptations who would like some introductory lessons.
Your local adaptation installer may know of driving instructors in your area or there is a searchable register of instructors available from the Association of Disability Driving Instructors.
The Association of Disability Driving Instructors is an independent, not for profit Community Interest Company. They have a register of specialist driving instructors who have adapted vehicles and can offer driving lessons and familiarisation training using a variety of driving adaptations.
To find out where your local disability driving instructor is and more about the Association visit www.disabilitydrivingintructors.com.
The codes printed on the back of your driving licence tell you what conditions you must meet to drive. If you are unsure about the codes on your licence, you should speak with the DVLA or a Driving Assessment Centre who will be able to advise. You can also visit the www.gov.uk website to find the most up-to-date list of codes.
If your vehicle is a Motability Scheme lease vehicle, your insurance cover will be included in the lease and you should check with Motability Operations about the exact details of your insurance cover.
If you are organising your own insurance for an adapted vehicle, you should always tell your insurer that your vehicle is adapted. We advise that you make sure the insurers are aware that this is an adaptation to assist with driving due to a disability, rather than a modification made to the vehicle to enhance the performance or for aesthetics.
If you would like to speak to a specialist insurance company, Fish Insurance focus on insurance for disabled drivers, meaning they understand adaptations and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles. They cover the loss or damage to vehicle adaptations as part of the policy*.
They also provide insurance for mobility devices such as mobility scooters and wheelchairs. To find out more about their insurance cover, please click here.
*Full details would be dependent upon the policy chosen and should always be checked before taking out a new policy.
You may have the absence of a limb due to a congenital condition or following an amputation.
Some limb absence may not affect driving, for example if you have an amputation of the left leg you will be able to drive an automatic vehicle without any adaptations. Other limb absence will require adaptations to the vehicle to assist with driving.
We would recommend an assessment by a driving assessment centre to determine the best way for you to drive. We can also discuss adaptation options with you to provide information around the types of adaptations you may want to try when visiting an assessment centre.
When having any driving adaptations installed, we would always recommend an automatic vehicle. Many adaptations cannot be installed on to a manual transmission vehicle.
If returning to driving following an amputation, you must inform the DVLA. We would always recommend advising the DVLA and your insurers if there is a change to your driving circumstances.
Adaptation Examples
There are many different combinations of adaptations to consider, some are listed below but if you would like to discuss your specific requirements, please contact us and we would be happy to chat to you about the different adaptations available.
Single upper limb absence:
Assistance with vehicle operations such as steering, stalk functions, and the handbrake are
key
things to consider if you are driving with an upper limb absence.
A simple steering aid
may
be suitable, or a remote control
device which combines a steering aid
with the secondary functions such as indicators may be preferable.
If you would need assistance with operating a conventional handbrake, we would recommend
purchasing a vehicle with an electric handbrake where you can operate the switch with your
other
hand. If the vehicle you have has a conventional handbrake, it may be that an easy release
handbrake will assist.
It is also important to consider things such as ignition placement before purchasing a
vehicle.
We would always recommend sitting in the vehicle and ensuring that you can use all required
buttons and functions.
Single lower limb (right leg) absence:
Assistance with operating the brake and accelerator pedal would be required if you are
considering driving following a right leg amputation.
Two main adaptations to consider are the hand control or a left foot accelerator. If you have previously driven a vehicle in the conventional way, the hand control would be the preferred adaptation to consider. If you are learning to drive, a left foot accelerator may be suitable but, in all instances, we would recommend a driving assessment to determine the best way for you to drive. Both adaptations are often used in conjunction with other adaptations to improve the driving experience.
Lower limb absence:
It is not only driving that some people need to consider, but also accessing the vehicle
they
want to drive or be a passenger in. If you have difficulties reaching the vehicle seat
directly
from a wheelchair or from standing due to the gap created by the sill, the transfer plate can
provide extra support to assist with transition into the vehicle.
Dwarfism is a condition characterised by being an adult, typically of 147cm or shorter, which can also be known as restricted growth or short stature. This can be proportionate, where your limbs are the expected size compared to the rest of your body, or disproportionate, where parts of your body grow differently (e.g. short limbs compared to the rest of your body).
It may be that restricted growth could cause difficulties in some aspects of driving.
We would recommend an assessment by a driving assessment centre to determine the best way for you to drive. We can also discuss adaptation options with you to provide information around the types of adaptations you may want to try when visiting an assessment centre.
When having any driving adaptations installed, we would always advise an automatic vehicle. Some adaptations can only be installed into an automatic vehicle.
We would always recommend advising the DVLA and your insurers if there is a change to your driving circumstances.We would always recommend advising the DVLA and your insurers if there is a change to your driving circumstances.
Adaptation Examples:
There are many different combinations of adaptations to consider, some are listed below but if you would like to discuss your specific requirements, please contact us and we would be happy to chat to you about the different adaptations available.
Difficulty reaching the pedals:
Pedal
extensions
attach to the existing pedals to bring them nearer to the seat for ease of
reach. Most vehicles can have pedal extensions fitted. The standard length of a pedal
extension
is between 1 to 4 inches but if longer pedal extensions are required, this may be possible.
Pedal extensions are assessed with each customer and their vehicle to determine the required
length.
Hand Controls
Hand controls are
also a
common adaptation for those who have difficulties reaching the pedals,
this is especially common if someone has shorter legs but has reach with their arms.
Difficulty reaching the handbrake:
Nowadays, where possible, as there is so much variation, we would recommend choosing a
vehicle
that has a suitable handbrake as standard. If you have a vehicle with a conventional
handbrake,
an easy release
handbrake, may assist with extending the lever enough to be reached.
Difficulty reaching the secondary controls:
A remote control
device may be helpful if using a steering aid helps with reach to the steering
wheel and also the functions ordinarily found on the stalks around the steering wheel. On
some
occasions, a simple
stalk
crossover arm, or extension to the stalk may be beneficial.
Little People UK are a charity that offer support to people with dwarfism so they may also be able to offer advice on driving.
The government website advises that you must stop driving immediately following a stroke and you can only begin to drive again once you are advised it is safe to do so by a health professional. https://www.gov.uk/stroke-and-driving
Some people will fully recover from a stroke whereas others may have some lasting effects. It is therefore important that you follow professional advice and ensure you are safe and legal to drive for your circumstances.
Once advised you can begin to consider driving again, you may be requested to undergo a driving assessment at a driving assessment centre. This will be to check if you can return to driving, and if so whether that will be in the conventional way or whether adaptations will be required. Driving assessment centres assess both physical and cognitive abilities.
When having any driving adaptations installed, we would always advise an automatic vehicle. Some adaptations can only be installed into an automatic vehicle.
We would always recommend advising the DVLA and your insurers if there is a change to your driving circumstances. You must advise the DVLA of certain conditions so your circumstances should be checked with a medical professional or driving assessor.
Adaptation Examples
There are different adaptations to consider if there is a physical effect following a stroke, some are listed below but if you would like to discuss your specific requirements, please contact us and we would be happy to chat to you about the different adaptations available.
Loss or restricted use of one arm:
A steering aid may assist in operating the steering wheel with one hand. The steering aid may need to be part of a remote control device so that you can also operate the secondary functions from the steering aid.
Loss or restricted use of right leg:
A left foot
accelerator could be the required adaptation if operating the brake and accelerator
pedals with your right foot has become difficult. This product is only recommended where
someone
is new to driving or there are no other suitable adaptations. We would also recommend that
you
have read the safety message on our left foot accelerator product page and also undergone an
assessment before choosing this adaptation.
If you have restricted use of your right leg, but no restrictions in using your upper body,
we
would always recommend the hand control over
the left foot
accelerator.
Spinal cord injuries can affect loss of movement and sensation to different degrees and therefore returning to driving will be different for each individual.
A spinal cord injury in the back will most likely result in paraplegia and affect the movement and sensation of the lower half of the body, especially the legs.
The most common adaptation to consider if use of the legs is limited is a hand control. This adaptation converts the brake and accelerator pedals to be operated using the hand. When having this adaptation installed, there are many optional extras which may also be beneficial.
A transfer plate may also be helpful for assisting with transfer into the vehicle as this adaptation helps to bridge the gap between a wheelchair and the seat. Some people would also have a sill protector to prevent damage to the vehicle when approaching in a wheelchair.
A spinal cord injury in the neck will most likely result in tetraplegia and affect the movement and sensation in the arms and the legs as well as the core. It may still be possible to drive but complex adaptations would be required.
In all instances, we would recommend an assessment by a driving assessment centre to determine the best way for you to drive. We can also discuss adaptation options with you to provide information around the types of adaptations you may want to try when visiting an assessment centre.
When having any driving adaptations installed, we would always advise an automatic vehicle. Some adaptations can only be installed into an automatic vehicle.
We would always recommend advising the DVLA and your insurers if there is a change to your driving circumstances. If you have a spinal cord injury, you must notify the DVLA and your insurers.
If you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) you will need to inform the DVLA and your insurance company. Symptoms of MS can vary from person to person so it is likely that you will require an assessment to determine whether you are fit to drive or not.
If you are unable to continue to drive as normal, the driving assessment centre may determine that you can drive with the addition of some adaptations. The recommended adaptations will vary depending on the assessment.
Fairly commonly, a hand control is often chosen if your symptoms include numbness in the feet, or fatigue in the legs. Some MS diagnoses result in symptoms that come and go. Nearly all adaptations enable the vehicle to be driven with the adaptation or conventionally. Often in these instances, users will switch between using their feet to drive or the hand control, especially on a longer journey, to assist with reducing fatigue.
When having any driving adaptations installed, we would always advise an automatic vehicle. Some adaptations can only be installed into an automatic vehicle.
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