The assessor helps you try different options and identifies the combination that gives you the best control with the least fatigue and discomfort.

Some centres offer reduced fees for people on certain benefits. The assessment is not available on the NHS, but funding may be available through other routes (see Funding section below).

Centre Locations

Centres are located across the UK. The main centres include:

• • South East England: Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation (QEF), Leatherhead, Surrey

• • South West England: Bristol

• • Midlands: Birmingham (West Midlands), Nottingham

• • North West England: Manchester / Warrington

• • North East England: Newcastle / Durham

• • Yorkshire: Leeds / Wakefield

• • East Anglia: Norwich

• • Wales: Cardiff area

• • Scotland: Edinburgh

• • Northern Ireland: Belfast

A full list with contact details is available on the Driving Mobility website.

Source: Driving Mobility — Find a centre. (drivingmobility.org.uk/find-a-centre)

Funding Your Steering Aid

A steering wheel spinner knob is one of the most affordable vehicle adaptations available. Purchased privately, most quality spinner knobs cost between £10 and £30. However, funding options exist — particularly for people who need the knob as part of a broader adaptation package.

Motability Scheme

The Motability scheme provides a vehicle — including insurance, breakdown cover, servicing, and tyres — in exchange for your qualifying mobility benefit payment.

Eligibility: You must receive one of:

• • Enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• • Higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

• • War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS)

• • Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)

Adaptations under Motability: Motability funds vehicle adaptations as part of the lease, at no additional cost to you. Steering aids — including spinner knobs — are among the most commonly fitted adaptations. The adaptation is specified in your driving assessment report and fitted by an approved adaptation installer.

If your needs change during the lease, Motability can arrange modification or replacement of adaptations.

Source: Motability Operations. (motability.co.uk)

Motability Charitable Grants

If you’re on the Motability scheme but need adaptations that exceed the standard funding limit, or if you need a more complex adaptation package, the Motability Foundation (formerly Motability — The Charity) may provide a grant.

Grants can cover:

• • Complex vehicle adaptations

• • Driving lessons in an adapted vehicle

• • Deposit contributions for more expensive vehicles needed to accommodate adaptations

Source: Motability Foundation. (motability.org.uk)

Access to Work

If you need a vehicle adaptation (including a spinner knob) specifically to get to and from work, the Department for Work and Pensions’ Access to Work scheme may contribute to the cost.

Access to Work provides grants to cover the additional costs a disabled person faces in employment. Vehicle adaptations for commuting can fall within scope.

Source: Access to Work. (GOV.UK)

NHS and Local Authority Funding

The NHS does not directly fund vehicle adaptations. However:

• • Some NHS trusts fund driving assessments as part of rehabilitation programmes (particularly after stroke or brain injury)

• • Some local authority social services departments provide grants or signpost to funding for adaptations that support independent living

• • Some charitable organisations provide small grants for vehicle adaptations

Purchasing Privately

For a standalone spinner knob without additional adaptations, private purchase is straightforward and affordable. A quality spinner knob costs less than a tank of fuel and can be fitted in minutes.

[Internal Link to: How to Fit a Steering Wheel Spinner Knob — for self-fitting guidance]

DVLA Licence Condition Codes: The Complete Reference

£60–£100

When the DVLA issues or renews a licence with required adaptations, condition codes are printed on the back of the licence. These codes tell you — and any enforcement authority — what adaptations must be fitted for you to drive legally.

Codes Relevant to Steering Aids and Related Adaptations

Code 40 is the primary code for spinner knobs. If your assessment recommends a spinner knob as a required adaptation, your licence will carry code 40. You must then have a spinner knob fitted whenever you drive.

Code 78 is frequently paired with code 40 for one-handed drivers, because the remaining hand must stay on the spinner knob at all times rather than releasing to change gear.

Driving without the required adaptation is an offence. If your licence carries code 40 and you drive without a spinner knob fitted, you are technically driving outside the conditions of your licence — equivalent to driving without a valid licence.

Source: DVLA — Information codes that may appear on your driving licence. (GOV.UK)

Your Rights as a Disabled Driver

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 protects disabled people from discrimination in the provision of services. This has practical implications for disabled drivers:

Insurance:

• • Insurers cannot refuse cover solely because of a disability

• • Insurers cannot increase premiums solely because of a disability, unless the decision is based on relevant and reasonable actuarial data

• • Prescribed vehicle adaptations must be accepted; they cannot be used as grounds for refusal or penalty

MOT testing:

• • MOT testing stations cannot refuse to test an adapted vehicle

• • Testers must assess the vehicle’s roadworthiness, not the driver’s disability

• • Prescribed adaptations (including spinner knobs) are not grounds for MOT failure

Driving lessons and tests:

• • Driving instructors must make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled learners

• • The DVSA must accommodate disabled candidates at the practical driving test

• • Test centres must be physically accessible

Parking and access:

• • Blue Badge holders have parking concessions

• • Adapted vehicles may display relevant signage

Source: Equality Act 2010. (legislation.gov.uk)

Challenging Discrimination

If you believe you have been discriminated against as a disabled driver — whether by an insurer, MOT station, driving school, or any other service provider — you can:

1. 1. Raise a complaint directly with the service provider

1. 1. Contact the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS) for advice — telephone 0808 800 0082

1. 1. Contact Disability Rights UK for guidance on your options

1. 1. Seek legal advice if the matter is not resolved

Source: Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS). (equalityadvisoryservice.com)

Insurance for Disabled Drivers with Prescribed Aids

The insurance position for disabled drivers with prescribed adaptations is straightforward in principle:

• • Declare the adaptation to your insurer

• • Mention that it is prescribed — this carries more weight than a voluntary fitting

• • Provide the driving assessment report if requested

• • Confirm your DVLA licence condition codes — your insurer should have these on file

Most mainstream UK insurers handle prescribed adaptations routinely. Some specialist brokers focus specifically on disabled driver insurance and may offer better terms or more knowledgeable service:

• • Motability insurance — included in the Motability scheme, covers all prescribed adaptations by default

• • Specialist disabled driver brokers — some insurance brokers specialise in adapted vehicle cover and understand the full range of adaptations

Your premium should not increase because of a prescribed spinner knob. If it does, question the basis and consider the specialist market.

MOT and Adapted Vehicles

Adapted vehicles undergo standard MOT testing. The key points:

• • A spinner knob is not a specific MOT inspection item and will not cause a failure

• • More complex adaptations (hand controls, relocated pedals, modified braking) may interact with MOT-tested systems — ensure your adaptation installer confirms MOT compatibility

• • The vehicle should be presented for MOT with all prescribed adaptations fitted, as it is driven in normal use

• • MOT testers encounter adapted vehicles regularly and are familiar with common adaptations

Choosing a Vehicle Adaptation Specialist

For a standalone spinner knob, professional fitting is not usually required — it clamps to the steering wheel rim and can be self-fitted in minutes.

For more complex adaptation packages (spinner knob plus relocated controls, hand controls, left-foot accelerator, or electronic steering), a professional vehicle adaptation specialist is required.

What to Look For in an Adaptation Company

Major UK Vehicle Adaptation Companies

Several companies operate nationally or regionally:

• • Allied Vehicles — Glasgow-based, one of the UK’s largest adaptation specialists

• • Brotherwood — Hampshire-based, specialising in wheelchair accessible vehicles

• • Lewis Reed Group — Midlands-based, covering a wide range of adaptations

• • Jeff Gosling Hand Controls — specialising in hand control systems

• • Elap — European manufacturer of hand controls and steering aids

Your Driving Mobility assessment centre can recommend local specialists based on your specific needs.

Progressive Conditions: When to Reassess

If you have a progressive condition — such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, or motor neurone disease — your driving abilities may change over time. A spinner knob that is sufficient today may need to be supplemented or replaced with a different adaptation as the condition progresses.

Signs It May Be Time to Reassess

• • Increasing fatigue during driving, even short journeys

• • Noticing your grip strength has decreased since the knob was fitted

• • Difficulty reaching or operating secondary controls that were previously manageable

• • Feedback from passengers that your steering seems less controlled

• • Your occupational therapist or consultant raising concerns about driving

How to Arrange a Reassessment

Contact your nearest Driving Mobility centre to book a reassessment. If you were originally assessed through the DVLA, they may also schedule periodic reviews depending on your condition.

Reassessments follow the same process as initial assessments but are typically shorter, as the assessor already has your baseline data.

What Might Change

The last point is difficult but important. There may come a point where no adaptation can provide safe vehicle control. A Driving Mobility assessment is the professional, objective way to determine this — and it’s better to make that decision based on expert evaluation than to wait for an incident.

Support Organisations

The following organisations provide information, advice, and support for disabled drivers in the UK:

OrganisationWhat They Offer

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a steering wheel spinner knob prescribed? Request a driving assessment through a Driving Mobility centre. The assessment — conducted by an occupational therapist and driving instructor — will determine whether a spinner knob is appropriate for your condition and will provide a written recommendation. This recommendation can be shared with the DVLA, your insurer, and your vehicle adaptation provider.

Do I need a prescription to buy a spinner knob? No. Spinner knobs are available for anyone to purchase without a prescription. However, if your condition requires a spinner knob for safe driving and the DVLA has issued licence condition codes, you are legally required to have one fitted. A driving assessment provides the formal recommendation.

Is a spinner knob the only steering aid available? No. Options include T-bar handles, tri-pins, palm grips, steering balls, and electronic remote steering systems. A Driving Mobility assessment will identify which aid is most suitable for your specific abilities.

How much does a prescribed spinner knob cost? The knob itself typically costs £10–£30 if purchased privately. Through the Motability scheme, the cost is covered as part of your vehicle lease. Driving assessment centres can also advise on sourcing.

Can I drive while waiting for my DVLA assessment? In most cases, yes. The DVLA does not automatically revoke your licence when you notify them of a condition. Your existing licence remains valid until the DVLA makes a decision, unless they specifically inform you otherwise. If in doubt, contact the DVLA drivers’ medical enquiries line on 0300 790 6806.

What happens if my condition gets worse? If your condition is progressive and your current adaptation is no longer sufficient, book a reassessment through Driving Mobility. The assessment will determine whether an alternative or additional adaptation can maintain safe driving, or whether driving is no longer appropriate.