Wheelchair users held back

More than half of wheelchair users in the UK say that they have been unable to work as a result of using a mobility device - more than in the other four countries surveyed of Japan, the US, India and Brazil.

A fifth said they felt they had been held back in their career, while one in six say that they had been given less responsibility at work as a result of using a wheelchair or mobil- ity device, according to the study from the Toyota Mobility Foundation.

Dr Phil Friend OBE, former chair of Disability Rights UK and Associate of the Business Disability Forum, said: “It’s crucial that wheelchair users have the same opportunities in life as everybody else.

“I’ve spent many years talking to businesses of all sizes, telling them about practical steps they can take improve job opportunities for wheelchair users.”