Freenow Partners With Whizz Kidz

A new partnership between Freenow by Lyft and children's mobility charity Whizz Kidz will allow passengers to round up their taxi fares and donate the difference to support young wheelchair users. The initiative also highlights growing concerns about the availability of accessible black cabs and the important role taxis play in helping disabled people travel independently.

A few pence added to the end of a taxi journey might not seem particularly significant.

But a new initiative from Freenow by Lyft aims to turn those small contributions into meaningful support for young wheelchair users across the UK.

The mobility platform has partnered with Whizz Kidz, a charity that provides mobility equipment and support to disabled children and young people.

Through a new in-app donation feature, passengers can round their fare up to the nearest pound, with the difference going directly to the charity.

The partnership, announced on 17 September, also draws attention to an issue that receives considerably less publicity than taxi fares or waiting times: the importance of maintaining reliable wheelchair-accessible transport.

The idea is straightforward.

Passengers using the Freenow app can activate its Round Up and Donate feature before, during or after their journey.

The app then rounds the fare up to the nearest whole pound and directs the difference to Whizz Kidz.

For example, a fare of £18.40 could be rounded up to £19, creating a donation of 60p.

A £24.75 fare could generate a 25p donation.

The individual amounts are small, but they can accumulate when large numbers of passengers participate.

Freenow says 100% of the money donated through the UK round-up feature will go to Whizz Kidz.

The contribution is optional, allowing passengers to decide whether they wish to participate.

Whizz Kidz works with young wheelchair users, helping them access mobility equipment, develop skills and participate more independently in everyday life.

The charity provides support that can make a substantial difference to education, employment and social activities.

Funds raised through the partnership will support its work, including customised mobility equipment, specialist assistance and advocacy for greater accessibility.

A wheelchair is not simply a means of getting from one location to another.

The right equipment can help a young person attend school, meet friends, participate in activities and travel with greater confidence.

For some families, access to appropriate mobility equipment can transform everyday routines.

The partnership aims to support those opportunities while also raising awareness of the transport barriers wheelchair users continue to encounter.

The fundraising announcement is accompanied by research from Whizz Kidz examining the experiences of young wheelchair users and their families.

The charity surveyed 50 young wheelchair users and family members across London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham between August and September 2026.

The findings suggest that accessible taxi availability is a significant concern among those who participated.

96% of respondents said they were worried that a further decline in black cab numbers would make travelling more difficult.

Meanwhile, 84% reported that existing problems with black cab availability were already disrupting their daily plans.

These figures describe the experiences of the 50 survey participants. They should not be interpreted as a representative measurement of every wheelchair user's experience across the UK.

London's black cabs have a distinctive role in accessible transport.

Licensed London taxis are designed to accommodate wheelchair users and include accessibility features such as ramps and wheelchair restraints.

For passengers who cannot easily use a conventional car, that can make a substantial difference.

A wheelchair-accessible taxi may allow someone to travel without transferring out of their wheelchair.

It can also provide an alternative when a railway station lacks step-free access or when other public transport is unsuitable for a particular journey.

The importance of that flexibility is reflected in the new survey.

53% of respondents said they used black cabs because suitable alternative transport was unavailable.

For those passengers, a taxi is not simply a more convenient option.

It may be the practical means of making the journey at all.

The survey also explored why young wheelchair users rely on taxis.

Among respondents, 59% reported using black cabs for social outings, while 36% used them for education-related journeys.

A further 29% reported using them for work or healthcare journeys.

The figures show how accessible transport can affect almost every part of daily life.

A taxi might make it possible to attend a college course.

Visit a friend.

Get to a medical appointment.

Attend a job interview.

Or return home after an evening out.

When a suitable vehicle is unavailable, the consequences can extend far beyond a delayed journey.

Plans may need to be cancelled altogether.

An accessible vehicle is only useful if a passenger can actually obtain one when needed.

This is one of the central issues highlighted by the partnership.

A wheelchair user may know that London's black cabs have accessibility features, but that does not guarantee a vehicle will be available nearby at the required time.

Availability can vary by location, time of day and demand.

For someone who needs a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, the alternatives may be more limited than they are for other passengers.

A person who cannot find a suitable black cab may not be able to substitute an ordinary private hire saloon.

That makes the reliability of accessible transport particularly important.

Technology has changed the way passengers find taxis.

Instead of waiting at a rank or attempting to hail a vehicle, passengers can use an app to request a journey and receive information about the approaching driver.

For wheelchair users, the ability to identify a suitable vehicle before booking can be particularly valuable.

In the Whizz Kidz survey, 73% of respondents said that booking through an app with a guaranteed accessible fleet improved their travel experience.

That finding points to a practical benefit of technology: reducing uncertainty.

Passengers should not have to discover that a vehicle cannot accommodate them only after it arrives.

Freenow by Lyft operates a black cab booking service in several UK cities, including London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The company says accessibility is an important part of its taxi offering.

Its partnership with Whizz Kidz builds on that position by combining fundraising with public awareness of the importance of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Freenow has also worked with the charity on accessibility training for drivers.

The new initiative therefore extends beyond asking passengers to donate spare change.

It is also intended to encourage discussion about the experience of booking and using accessible transport.

To mark the launch, a specially branded black cab will operate on London's streets.

The vehicle will carry Freenow and Whizz Kidz branding to promote the partnership and raise awareness of the charity's work.

It is a fitting way to publicise the initiative.

London's black cabs are among the capital's most recognisable vehicles, and the campaign focuses on the importance of preserving access to them.

The branded taxi will act as a moving reminder that transport accessibility affects real people's ability to participate in everyday activities.

Freenow has also highlighted Transport for London research indicating that disabled Londoners use taxis and private hire vehicles at approximately twice the rate of non-disabled Londoners.

The figures cited by the company suggest that taxis and private hire account for up to 2% of daily journeys made by disabled Londoners, compared with around 1% for non-disabled Londoners.

Although these percentages may appear small, they demonstrate that taxis and private hire can play a disproportionately important role for passengers with disabilities.

They also show why accessible road transport needs to be considered alongside buses, trains and the Underground when discussing the capital's transport network.

A wheelchair ramp is essential, but it is only one part of an accessible journey.

Passengers also need reliable booking information.

They need to know whether the vehicle can accommodate their particular wheelchair and any accompanying equipment.

They may need a suitable pickup location.

They need sufficient time to board safely.

And they need a driver who understands how to use the vehicle's accessibility equipment correctly.

A service can have an accessible vehicle on paper while still presenting practical difficulties during the journey.

That is why driver training, booking systems and clear communication matter alongside vehicle design.

The partnership also highlights an important distinction in London's transport industry.

London black cabs are taxis and can be hailed in the street or hired from authorised taxi ranks.

They must meet TfL's taxi accessibility requirements.

Private hire vehicles operate under a different licensing system.

A private hire journey must be booked through a licensed operator, whether by telephone, website or app.

Private hire fleets contain a variety of vehicle types, and passengers should not assume that every private hire vehicle can accommodate a wheelchair.

Someone requiring a wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicle should therefore confirm the necessary arrangements with the operator before travelling.

Airport journeys can be particularly challenging for passengers who require accessible transport.

Major airports are large environments.

Passengers may need to travel considerable distances between aircraft, immigration, baggage reclaim and the arrivals hall.

They may also be carrying luggage or travelling with mobility equipment.

Once they leave the terminal, they need a suitable onward journey.

For a wheelchair user, it is not enough to know that a car has been booked.

The vehicle must meet their accessibility requirements.

The collection arrangements must also be practical.

A passenger should know where they will meet the driver and whether assistance or additional time is required.

Airport collections can involve car parks, designated pickup areas and terminal meeting points.

These arrangements are not always equally convenient for every passenger.

Someone who can comfortably walk several hundred metres with a suitcase may have very different requirements from a wheelchair user travelling with additional equipment.

The appropriate pickup location therefore matters.

Where accessible transport is required, passengers should discuss their needs with the operator before the journey rather than relying on assumptions about the airport or vehicle.

Airport transport also needs to account for unpredictable arrival times.

A flight may land late.

Immigration may take longer than expected.

Baggage can be delayed.

Passengers may need additional time to move through the terminal.

For wheelchair users, a rushed or poorly coordinated pickup can create unnecessary difficulties.

Clear communication between the passenger, operator and driver can help ensure that the vehicle is available at an appropriate time and location.

The wider lesson from the Freenow and Whizz Kidz partnership is that accessibility needs to be built into transport services from the beginning.

Passengers should not have to make repeated telephone calls simply to discover whether a suitable vehicle exists.

They should not have to wonder whether a booking has been understood.

And they should not have to rely on luck to find transport for an essential journey.

Booking technology can help by making vehicle information clearer and improving the allocation of suitable vehicles.

But technology needs to be supported by an accessible fleet and properly trained drivers.

The fare round-up feature offers passengers a simple way to contribute to Whizz Kidz without making a separate donation.

A few pence from one journey will not transform accessible transport on its own.

But regular contributions across a large passenger network could provide a useful source of funding for the charity.

The initiative also gives the issue greater visibility.

Passengers who have never had difficulty finding a suitable taxi may not realise how important black cab availability can be for wheelchair users.

By connecting everyday taxi journeys with the charity's work, the partnership aims to bring that issue to a wider audience.

Freenow and Whizz Kidz are pursuing two related goals.

The first is practical fundraising.

Passengers can donate small amounts through the app, with the proceeds supporting the charity's work.

The second is awareness.

The accompanying research highlights the concerns of young wheelchair users and their families about accessible taxi availability.

Together, the two elements make the initiative more substantial than a conventional charitable promotion.

It connects a transport service with the people who depend on accessible vehicles.

The round-up feature is now available to Freenow passengers across the UK.

The co-branded black cab will help publicise the partnership in London, while the charity will receive donations made through the app.

The longer-term impact will depend on passenger participation and how much funding the initiative generates.

There is also a wider question for the transport industry.

As booking technology develops and vehicle fleets change, accessibility needs to remain a central consideration.

For many passengers, finding a taxi is a matter of convenience.

For others, finding a suitable taxi determines whether they can make the journey at all.

That is the issue this partnership hopes to bring into sharper focus.

Airport transfers are an important part of London's private hire industry, but passengers have different requirements depending on their mobility, luggage, group size and destination.

London Airport Transfer provides pre-booked private hire journeys to and from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City Airport, including transfers between London's airports and journeys to hotels, businesses and residential addresses.

Passengers who require a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or specific assistance should confirm their requirements with the operator before booking. Vehicle suitability should never be assumed from the fact that a journey has been described as a taxi or airport transfer.

For passengers who can travel in a conventional private hire vehicle, pre-booking allows the operator to arrange the appropriate vehicle for the number of passengers and their luggage.

For wheelchair users, the same advance planning is particularly important because the vehicle, boarding arrangements and pickup location must all be suitable.

The Freenow and Whizz Kidz partnership is a reminder that a successful journey is not simply about reaching the destination.

It is also about making sure passengers can travel safely, comfortably and with confidence.

Written by London Airport Transfer for passengers travelling to and from London airports.