Hi, just wanted to say “Hello” as I’m here for the first time on the new forum. I have PPMS (or so they say, I think it is SPMS, but I suppose they know what they are talking about). Anyway, I’m really struggling to get up or down any steps and my garden, which has been such a godsend during the lockdowns, has steps to get to it, one high one from the back door to outside and another part way down the garden - which is lower but still causing a problem. I think I need either a concrete slope or ramps, but the ramps I’ve seen are heavy and so I couldn’t move them, but don’t know if they can be left out in all weathers. Probably a concrete slope would be best but I don’t know who I’d ask to make one and if that’s going to be very expensive. If anyone has any advice I’d be so grateful 
Hi Anne
Maybe worth having an appointment with an OT to see if they can help with a ramp under a disabled facilities grant through your local council.
If you haven’t got an OT assigned to you, you can self refer through the local adult care team.
Hope this helps, take care
Pam x
Hi Anne,
My niece who has Ppms and is on,y up about 4 hours has just had concrete ramps installed without contacting the benefits people, when they cam to look at it they said it wasn’t long enough so please be sure you contact them for advice before going ahead as then when approved you will get some financial help.
Looking ahead is always a smart thing to do and better a concrete slope than Ramos as it is possible they won’t do long term and…you don’t need the stress of lifting them. Right?
Good luck,
Jill
You need to contact a Occupational Therapist working for your local Social Services Department (SSD). Speaking from experience, I’d opt for the concrete ramp. Your Social Services Dept could help towards the cost, or give you a grant for the full payment. Regretfully, different SSD have different rules.
For example, I used to live in Cumbria and needed a dual motor riser/recliner chair. Cumbria County Council paid for it in full. Now live in North Lancashire, and Lancaster County Council refused to change it when it was no longer safe. I fully met their criteria, but the decision is discretionary not mandatory, so I had to buy my own.
Good luck 
Thanks, yes I think a concrete slope will be best. Bad luck about the chair, its a postcode lottery and doesn’t seem fair.
As others have suggested you need an OT who will then refer you for a ramp and the local Council will probably ask a few people for quotes. It depends how you are looking to get in and out of your house - ie by wheelchair or walking?
Ramps can be tricky to walk down, the Councils build wheelchair concrete ramps with an incline of about 12:1 but these can still be too much and so I would ask for a 14:1 incline which will be a lot easier to walk up and down as well as easier if you need to used a wheelchair. This could be about 3m long though so you need to think about the location.
You also need to think about the future and whether you will be better getting a proper concrete ramp (with railings) put in because it is always a pain having to replace an old inadequate ramp.
If you do need to use a wheelchair, or might need to in the future, then you need to think about getting a wheelchair in and out of the house, ie is the doorway big enough?
Thanks, you’ve made some good points, especially about the incline of the slope, I wouldn’t have thought of that. I will be having to use a wheelchair more and more (PPMS) so will also need a way to get out of the house (sounds like I’m trapped when I type that - and well it does feel a bit like that!) I think that the back door alterations will be more difficult, but hoping the OT, as all you good people have suggested, will know how to get around that issue.
Hi there,
My husband had a concrete one made via the OT many years ago. It is still standing over 10 years now.
We didnt pay a thing back then but times have changed.
I’ve got a couple of concrete slopes in the garden which is tiered, they cost about £500. I also have one to the front door, but because we also had to have the floor level raised in the porch to match the height indoors, it also meant a new front door. The builder was very au fait with building regs and suitable gradient etc. That cost £4,000. I was means tested and didn’t qualify for help. This was about six years ago.
We had to negotiate how to get over the various small steps throughout the patio and into the house with a wheelchair. To remove all the steps we had the whole patio raised. It now slopes away from the backdoor in all directions. The council officials stated that we would need a sloped ramp adjacent to the door opening and a safety barrier. Fortunately we didn’t choose that option as it would have destroyed access to all the flower pots
I use an electric wheelchair which is ok with relatively steep inclines. I have a selection of lightweight aluminium folding ramps 2,4and 6ft that I bought online for under £300. I use these around my house and garden.The advantage of them being portable is that there is always someone elses property i can’t access to visit without them. My wife can simply put the appropriate one in the car.
I appreciate that walking up ramps is hard. I remember it well,decent handrails by steps is better. The problem we all face is how far ahead do we change things to future proof our environment to cope with the physical decline.
Thank you so much for this information and welcome to our group. M