PRESS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Government Urged to End ‘Postcode Lottery’ Facing People with Limb Loss and Limb Difference
Monday 13 July 2026 | Houses of Parliament
An alliance of the UK’s leading limb loss and limb difference charities have called on the Government to end the postcode lottery of care and support that leaves many people receiving vastly different services depending on where they live.
Launching its first-ever recommendations to Government during a Disability Pride Month Parliamentary Reception on 13th July 2026 hosted by Dr Marie Tidball MP, the first MP elected with a congenital limb difference, the Limb Loss and Limb Difference Alliance is urging the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver equitable, lifelong support for everyone living with limb loss and limb difference.
There are currently over 13,000 amputations annually, and around 1 in 1,600 children are born with a limb difference. However, whilst the NHS has a strong policy framework in place, including the 2025 Prosthetic Service Specification, the key issue is not policy, but inconsistent delivery.
Despite advances in healthcare and technology, too many children and adults continue to experience unequal access to prosthetic services, rehabilitation, mental health support and specialist care. The Alliance warns that where someone lives can have a significant impact on the support they receive, creating unacceptable inequalities across the country.
The Alliance’s recommendations call on Government to:
A national audit and registry, so services can be measured, outcomes tracked, and the postcode lottery brought to an end.
Lifelong, joined-up pathways, with proper transition planning so no young person falls through the gap at 18, and support that continues into adulthood.
Better mental health support, available consistently across the country and across a lifetime.
Clear information at diagnosis, co-produced with people who’ve been there, so families aren’t left to find support on their own.
A stronger workforce, tackling the national shortage of prosthetists, orthotists and rehabilitation staff, and employing more people with lived experience.
Lived experience at the heart of it, formally embedded in how services are designed, monitored and improved.
Dr Marie Tidball MP said:
“Everyone deserves equitable access to healthcare, support and opportunity, regardless of where they live. These recommendations provide an important opportunity to improve services by listening to the experiences of those who use them every day.”
A spokesperson for the Limb Loss and Limb Difference Alliance said:
“Support should never depend on your postcode. Yet across the UK, too many people with limb loss and limb difference face inconsistent services, unequal access to prosthetics and rehabilitation, and barriers that could be avoided. Our recommendations set out practical steps to ensure every child and adult receives the care, support and opportunities they deserve throughout their lifetime.”
Launched during Disability Pride Month, the recommendations have been developed collaboratively by charities representing thousands of children, young people and adults across the UK. The Alliance hopes they will form the basis of ongoing work with Government to improve healthcare, accessibility and inclusion for future generations.
ENDS
Group photo of the Limb Loss and Limb Difference Alliance with Marie Tidball MP at Westminster Hall, 13th July 2026
Sharon Hodson MP with Reach child Melita Renda
Notes to Editors
The Limb Loss and Limb Difference Alliance is a coalition of Reach, Blesma, Finding Your Feet, LimbPower, Steel Bones and the Amputation Foundation. Together, the organisations work to improve awareness, influence policy and ensure better outcomes for people living with limb loss and limb difference across the UK.
Briefing paper can be downloaded here.
Video from the day can be found here.
Image bank of photos from the day can be downloaded here.
For further information, photos or interviews, please contact meganbe@reach.org.uk (Megan Bacon-Evans, Social Media Manager, Reach)
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