Disabled people in UK blocked from travelling abroad due to care funding restrictions

Disabled individuals in the United Kingdom are being blocked from travelling abroad because local councils and NHS care boards refuse to allow care funding to be used overseas. Despite no extra cost to taxpayers, a postcode lottery of inconsistent local policies forces many to cancel trips. Following legal threats, quadriplegic advocate Lucy Robinson forced a U-turn from the Thames Valley NHS board, while others like Chelsea Pettitt remain in active disputes. Campaigners are calling for clear national guidance.

Overseas care funding restrictions

• ▪Disabled people in the United Kingdom are being blocked from travelling abroad because NHS care boards and local councils refuse to allow them to use their care funding outside the country.
• ▪Refusing to pay for care and support abroad does not deliver any financial savings for the taxpayer, as the care recipient typically pays for their assistant's travel expenses and insurance.

Postcode lottery inconsistencies

• ▪Campaigners warn of a postcode lottery in England where a disabled person's right to travel overseas depends on local policies, which range from explicit permission to complete discretion by local officials.
• ▪Giselle Hoad, the founder of the Adult Social Care Warriors campaign group, stated that cultural prejudice in the care system sometimes assumes disabled people should be satisfied with opportunities closer to home.

Lucy Robinson case

• ▪The Thames Valley NHS integrated care board reversed its decision to reject Lucy Robinson's overseas care request in June 2026 after she threatened the health board with legal action.
• ▪Lucy Robinson, the 38-year-old quadriplegic president of the European Spinal Cord Injury Federation, was prevented from attending international work events and a holiday after Oxfordshire health officials refused to allow her to use her care package abroad.

Chelsea Pettitt case

• ▪Lancashire council stated it does not object in principle to Chelsea Pettitt using her care package on a holiday abroad and is working with her family and care provider to support a resolution.
• ▪Chelsea Pettitt, a 25-year-old with cerebral palsy and quadriplegia, has been in a dispute with Lancashire council over her entitlement to use her care package for a holiday in Spain.

Legal duties for care boards

• ▪Anne-Marie Irwin, a solicitor representing Lucy Robinson, stated that NHS care boards have a legal duty to meet a disabled person's assessed needs, which does not stop if they temporarily leave the United Kingdom.
• ▪The Thames Valley NHS integrated care board stated that decisions regarding temporary travel abroad are informed by patient safety, practical care delivery factors, risk assessment, and insurance issues.

National guidance advocacy

• ▪A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated that the government expects integrated care boards to plan care packages that meet individual needs in line with national policy and legislation.
• ▪Carol Barraclough of the Spinal Injuries Association called for clear and effective national guidance on the rights of disabled people to take their carers outside the United Kingdom.

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