Having a disability, illness or medical condition should not stop anyone from going on holiday abroad or travelling by air or sea. Planning ahead and letting your travel operators know about any special requirements can make travelling less stressful.
If the person you care for is travelling alone or needs extra assistance, make sure the travel provider and the place of departure can accommodate their needs before you book. Before booking, check with your travel operators about:
- dietary requirements, especially if they're due to a medical condition,
- any special equipment needed, such as mobility equipment or oxygen supplies,
- any medication needed, and
- other requirements, such as a having a guide dog.
If equipment needs recharging, make sure that it's compatible with the electricity supply of the country you're visiting. You may need to take spare batteries instead.
Carer's tip from Netbuddy
"Travelling by plane with medication: always pack half in your hand luggage in case your suitcase does walkabouts. That way, you will have enough with you till your case is relocated or you get some more locally".
Visit Netbuddy to read more carers' tips like this.
Travelling with medicines
If the person you look after is taking a course of medication, check whether the countries you're travelling through have different legal restrictions on medication. You'll need to check this several weeks before you travel. Contact the embassy or high commission of the country you're visiting and check the types and quantities of drugs allowed into the country. Rules on medication are subject to change, so check even if you've travelled through the country before. Additional permissions may be needed to avoid breaking the law at your destination.
You should speak to the person's GP about any special conditions for travelling that may need to be met. For example, their GP may need to write a letter explaining their medical needs, which they can show to customs officials. You could also obtain a translation of the letter in the language of the country you're visiting.
Permitted allowances
If you need to take more than a certain amount (the permitted allowance) of some controlled substances or medicines with you, you'll need a licence from the Home Office. To apply for a licence, you'll need:
- your personal details (name, address, date of birth),
- your destination(s),
- dates of departure and return, and
- a letter from the doctor who prescribed the medicines in support of your application for a licence (including the name, form and quantity of the medicine).
Permitted allowances are based on a 15-day standard dosage of your medicine and can be viewed at the Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs website. If you take the permitted allowance or less, you don't need a Home Office licence, but check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about restrictions at your destination(s). If you're carrying non-controlled prescription medicines (for example, blood pressure tablets), a letter from your doctor with details of your prescription may help to avoid any confusion at customs.
Transporting your medicine
If you cannot bring your medicines in your hand luggage and need to put them in the hold, ask a pharmacist what will happen to the medicines in cold temperatures (it can get cold in a cargo hold during a flight). Insulin can be damaged if it's frozen. Check if there are any crystals in insulin after a flight and don't use it if you find any. Take your medicines on the plane with you if you can, but check with cabin crew first.
If you can, keep your medicines in more than one bag in case one gets lost or stolen.
All medicines should be properly boxed and labelled as they were when they were given to you. Make sure that everything you take, if it's restricted, appears on your doctor’s letter.
You can find more information about travelling with an ill or disabled person in the UK on our transport pages. These include information on:
Click on the bars below to find out more about travelling abroad by air, sea, rail, or with an assistance dog.
