Welcome to Independent Living
Providing free information and advice for 25 years.
Independent Living – the place for impartial information about products and services to help with mobility and independence.
Whoever you are – OT, physio or other health professional, family carer, individual with a disability, Independent Living can provide the advice you need.
Keep up-to-date with the latest information by subscribing for our free weekly newsletter. You can read the latest issue online here, and sign up for your own copy here.
If you are looking for products, the drop-down menu above will take you to a full range of aids to daily living, mobility and independence, grouped together in categories. Products for professional users, such as care home furniture, hoists, postural and pressure management systems, are similarly grouped. Just follow the links under “Independent Living Buyers Guide” or “Professional Buyers Guide”
News Centre
The newscentre, also linked from the menu above, includes case studies, new product focus, industry news, podcasts, guest blogs, and our newsletter archives. For advice on various aspects of living with a disability or caring for someone who cannot live independently, including information on benefits; legislation; keeping warm and well; fall prevention; and generally coping with being a carer, the Advice Centre is the place to look.
Independent Living Newsletter
Our weekly roundup of news highlights the latest developments of interest to health and social care professionals, family carers and disabled individuals, including new products and services, changes in legislation, etc. You can read the current and archived issues online here, and sign up to receive your own copy by email here
What's New
Extra funding for pioneering research projects Muscular Dystrophy UK has announced that it is investing £1.5 million into 10 new pioneering research projects across England, Scotland and Wales. The leading [...]
UN General Assembly adopts landmark resolution on access to assistive technology The United Nations General Assembly has adopted its first ever resolution on access to assistive technology, a move campaigners [...]
Kidz to Adultz Scotland 2026 is an important year for Kidz to Adultz exhibitions, as they celebrate their 25th anniversary. The next event is Kidz to Adultz Scotland, which is [...]
UK homes may not be ready for Burnham’s home care plans (external links in the article will open in a new browser tab or window) Mobility expert at Halton Stairlifts, [...]
Closomat webinar to explore bathroom independence for autistic children and young people Closomat, the UK’s only specialist manufacturer of wash and dry toilets, is inviting occupational therapists and other healthcare [...]
July 2026 – Disabled Motoring UK Baywatch Survey Baywatch survey extended to 30th September 2026 – you can access it here (external link will open in a new browser tab [...]
Sensors gave four hours’ warning before a boiler failure at Scottish retirement housing scheme Staff at a retirement housing development in Biggar, in the Scottish Borders, had four hours’ notice [...]
Forget the scales: why waist size may matter more than BMI as we age For decades, body mass index (BMI) has been the standard shorthand for a healthy weight. But [...]
Visually impaired and career ready A Portobello High School pupil with severe visual impairment has broken new ground by becoming the first visually impaired young person from Edinburgh to be [...]
Antibiotics and C. diff Cases of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) have increased significantly in the last five years, and a lot of the responsibility for this lies with us – [...]
How many disabled veterans are affected? Mo Stewart discovered by accident that she had been incorrectly advised by the DWP that she could not receive a State Pension and her [...]
Bridging the Gap: why end-of-life wishes still go unheard Two ombudsmen, one uncomfortable pattern. In July, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Conversations that matter most found communication breakdowns to [...]
Time limits on disabled bus passes to be scrapped — but not until 2027 Disabled bus pass holders in England will eventually be able to travel free at any time [...]
Postcode lottery in social care: new research shows huge gaps across England Part of our ongoing coverage of the Casey Commission — see the full timeline. New analysis from the [...]
The exercise molecule that could help protect muscles in type 2 diabetes Scientists have identified a molecule released during exercise that makes muscles stronger and more resilient — and it [...]
Are you a Type A? You could be at risk of holiday ‘fret lag’ (external links below will open in a new browser tab or window) With the summer holidays [...]
Investment in study of mitochondrial diseases Mitochondrial diseases are rare genetic disorders that affect around one in 5,000 people. Caused by mutations in the mitochondrial genome, there is currently no [...]
Complexity foils attempts at robotic hands The human hand is incredibly complex, with 27 bones and many tiny muscles, not to mention great sensitivity to heat, pressure and texture. Building [...]
Timms Review into PIP finds it is “not fit for purpose” Update 15 August – register for workshops As part of the review process, the government is holding workshops to [...]
New Foresight Research Maps Three Possible Futures for Disabled People The Cabinet Office Disability Unit has published new foresight research examining what life could look like for disabled people in [...]
