3Spoonies Anniversary Special – Part Two
In Part Two of our anniversary special, the 3 Spoonies podcast continues the conversation on aids and adaptations, shifting the focus from what helps to what gets in the way.
This episode is about the reality many disabled people live with every day:
the cost of access, the systems that drive prices up, and the quiet ways people are excluded — not because solutions don’t exist, but because they’re out of reach.
Joined again by Paralympian Aaron Phipps, innovator Melissa Smith and designer Lady Sharon Farley-Mason, we talk honestly about affordability, dignity, and why accessibility so often fails the people who need it most. You can find out all about our guests here.
When Access Comes With a Price Tag
One of the strongest themes in this episode is cost.
Aids and adaptations are often framed as “extras” — optional add-ons, upgrades, or luxuries. But in reality, they’re what make daily life possible, manageable, or less painful.
We talk about:
- wheelchairs costing thousands of pounds
- cushions, handles, and basic comfort being priced as add-ons
- equipment that’s essential for pain management being treated as optional
- the emotional impact of being priced out of your own independence
These aren’t luxury items.
They’re about being able to sit, move, work, and exist without unnecessary pain.
A Captive Market With Very Little Choice
A recurring frustration in the conversation is the lack of competition in disability equipment.
Disabled people don’t get to “shop around” in the same way others do.
If you need specific equipment, you need it — and that creates a captive market.
We explore:
- why prices stay high when there’s little competition
- how specialist equipment is often marked up far beyond materials and labour
- the difference between bespoke work and unjustifiable pricing
- how disabled people end up paying the highest price for having no alternative
Access shouldn’t depend on who can afford it.
But too often, that’s exactly what happens.
Insurance, Compensation & Unintended Consequences
Part Two also looks at how wider systems — including insurance and compensation — can push prices higher for everyone.
While compensation and support are absolutely necessary for people who need them, we talk about the unintended knock-on effects:
- companies inflating prices because insurers will pay
- costs rising across the board
- people without payouts or support being priced out completely
The result?
Those living day to day, without financial backing, are often the ones who lose out most.
When “Extras” Are Actually Essentials
Throughout the episode, we keep coming back to the same point:
Disabled people are often charged extra just to reduce pain, fatigue, or risk.
Things like:
- supportive cushions
- functional handles
- comfort adjustments
- safety-focused add-ons
These aren’t indulgences.
They’re about making life bearable — and sometimes safe.
Treating them as optional upgrades sends a clear message about whose comfort is considered important.
Accessibility Isn’t Just About Buildings
We also talk about how accessibility gaps show up in everyday life — especially in leisure, family activities, and social spaces.
From inaccessible activities to environments that assume everyone can participate in the same way, the barriers are often small but persistent.
A single adjustment could make a huge difference.
But too often, those changes aren’t made.
Accessibility isn’t just ramps and lifts.
It’s about being included in ordinary life.
Invisible Disability & Being Policed
Another important thread in this episode is invisible disability — and the experience of being questioned, judged, or policed for using accessible spaces or equipment.
We talk about:
- strangers feeling entitled to ask “what’s your disability?”
- the assumption that access needs must be visible
- the pressure to justify your right to use adaptations
- why disabled people don’t owe anyone an explanation
Access isn’t something that needs to be proven.
And disability isn’t a competition.
Dignity, Independence & Everyday Reality
This episode isn’t about blame or easy fixes.
It’s about naming what’s broken, sharing lived experience, and recognising that:
- independence shouldn’t depend on wealth
- access shouldn’t require constant justification
- and disabled people deserve dignity, comfort, and choice
Aids and adaptations aren’t special treatment.
They’re how people live their lives.
Part Two of a Two-Part Anniversary Special
This episode is Part Two of our anniversary special on aids and adaptations. You can find all the ways to watch and listen here.
If Part One explored the everyday tools and invisible adaptations that support disabled life, Part Two looks at the systems, costs, and barriers that make access harder than it needs to be.
You can find out more about our guests here.
🎧 3Spoonies is a podcast about navigating life and business with limited energy, disability, chronic illness, and neurodivergence — with honesty, humour, and lived experience at its core.
New episodes drop every Thursday, and if you want all the ways to watch, listen and read straight to your inbox then join our mailing list.