Pressure Relieving Mattress and Cushion Guide for Carers

In short: A pressure relieving mattress is a specially designed mattress that spreads body weight to help protect skin from pressure ulcers, and it is not a casual purchase. The NHS says you can ask a GP for a risk assessment if you are cared for at home and think you are at risk. Ask your GP, district nurse or council before buying, as at November 2026.

What a pressure relieving mattress does

A pressure relieving mattress is designed to reduce the pressure on the parts of the body that bear weight when someone lies in bed, so that skin and the tissue beneath it are less likely to break down. The NHS lists specially designed mattresses and cushions as a way both to prevent pressure ulcers and to treat them, because they help redistribute pressure on vulnerable areas. Pressure ulcers are also called bed sores or pressure sores, and our guide to bed sores and pressure ulcers covers the condition itself.

These surfaces support other care but do not replace it. The NHS says changing position and moving regularly helps relieve pressure, and it also recommends checking skin daily, staying as active as you can and eating a balanced diet. A mattress that is poorly matched to the person can give false reassurance, which is one reason the choice is clinical rather than casual.

If you see hot, swollen or red skin, pus, a high temperature, or severe or worsening pain, the NHS advises requesting an urgent GP appointment or contacting NHS 111. For skin that is damaged, see a GP.

Who needs a pressure relieving mattress

People most likely to need a pressure relieving mattress are those who spend long periods in bed or a chair and cannot easily change position. The NHS lists risk factors including difficulty moving, a previous pressure ulcer, serious illness in intensive care or recent surgery, being underweight, swollen, sweaty or broken skin, poor circulation or fragile skin, and reduced sensation or pain feeling.

NICE guidance on pressure ulcers says adults at high risk in primary or community care should be given a high-specification foam mattress. It describes adults at high risk as usually having multiple risk factors, or a current or past pressure ulcer, with examples that are not exhaustive. For adults who already have a pressure ulcer, it says standard specification foam mattresses should not be used.

The point of this is that risk is assessed, not guessed. A person who is mobile and in bed only at night may be well served by their ordinary mattress, while a person who is mostly in bed and has fragile skin may need something specific. Neither the family nor a shop assistant can reliably tell the difference by looking.

Types of pressure relieving mattress, in general terms

In general terms there are two broad kinds of pressure relieving mattress: foam surfaces that spread weight, and powered surfaces that change the pressure under the body over time. This section describes them only so the terms make sense when a professional uses them. It is not a guide to choosing between them.

• Foam mattresses: NICE refers to high-specification foam mattresses as the surface to use for adults at high risk in community care. They are not the same as a standard foam mattress.
• Dynamic support surfaces: NICE says that if foam does not adequately redistribute pressure for an adult with a pressure ulcer, a dynamic support surface should be considered. These are powered surfaces, so they need electricity and regular checks, and a carer may need to be shown how they work.
• Turning mattresses: Independent Age mentions mattresses that can be used on a standard bed if a person needs regular turning, and says a carer may need training from the assessor to use them safely.
• Overlays: a layer placed on top of an existing mattress. These can affect bed rails, as explained below.

A mattress is only one piece of the plan, so ask the professional who sets it up how to use it and what else to do alongside it.

Cushions for chairs and wheelchairs

Pressure damage happens in chairs as well as beds. NICE says adults who use a wheelchair or sit for long periods should be considered for a high-specification foam, or equivalent pressure redistributing, cushion. Age UK’s factsheet on disability equipment, dated March 2026 and applying in England, lists pressure relieving cushions under pressure care equipment, and says a nurse or GP can arrange a health-based item such as a riser recliner chair with spinal supports.

A cushion also needs the right fit with the chair or wheelchair, so a professional should assess the person sitting in it. Our mobility aids and wheelchairs guide covers wheelchairs in general. If the person sits for most of the day, mention it when you ask for an assessment, because pressure care is about every surface the person uses.

How to get one through the NHS or council

Start with your GP or district nurse. The NHS says that if you are cared for at home and think you are at risk, you can ask a GP for a risk assessment, after which your care team can build a prevention plan. Age UK says local disability equipment stores are jointly run by the NHS and local authority, that equipment is loaned for as long as you need it, and that your GP, district nurse or community physiotherapist can ask for items to meet your needs.

You can also ask your council for a needs assessment. Age UK says an occupational therapist (OT) may be required if you need disability equipment, and that a council cannot charge for disability equipment or minor adaptations costing £1,000 or less. Waiting times can be long, and there is no time limit for providing equipment, but you should not wait longer than is reasonable. If skin is already breaking down, tell the GP or nurse straight away. Our guide to free equipment from the council and NHS explains the wider process.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: the Age UK factsheet applies in England. Each nation has its own health and care services, so contact your GP, local council or health and social care trust to find out how equipment is arranged where you live.

Questions to ask the nurse or therapist

When a professional recommends a surface, a few questions help you look after it properly. Write the answers down for anyone else who helps with care.

• Which type of surface is this, and why does it suit this person?
• How should the bed be made, and what can and cannot go on top of it?
• What should we check each day, and what changes in the skin should make us call?
• Does it need power, and what do we do in a power cut?
• Does it affect other equipment, such as bed rails or a profiling bed, and who reviews it if the person’s condition changes?
• Who do we contact if it stops working or is no longer needed?

The NHS advises checking skin daily for warning signs, and asking a GP about a risk assessment if you are cared for at home. Keep repositioning and skin checks going alongside any mattress, as a mattress supports that routine and does not replace it.

Why a pressure relieving mattress is not a casual buy

Buying a pressure relieving mattress without advice can go wrong in several ways. The wrong type may not protect the person, it may not suit their weight or condition, and it may not work with the bed. Independent Age advises getting an assessment even if you may be buying equipment privately, because the OT can advise on suitable products and low cost alternatives.

Bed rails are a particular concern. The MHRA says specialist mattresses and overlays can lower the effective height of a rail or create new gaps, so rails must be reassessed when they are added. HSE says overlay mattresses can reduce a rail’s effective height and increase the chance of rolling over it. If the person has rails fitted, ask before changing the mattress, and read our guide to bed rails safety.

Age UK also explains that through a council prescription you can buy from an accredited local retailer and own the equipment, paying any difference if you choose a higher cost item. It advises checking British Standards compliance, trialling equipment where possible, and considering servicing costs and return policies. Disabled people may not have to pay VAT on equipment designed or adapted for daily living, with a declaration signed, but ask the supplier and check the GOV.UK rules for your situation.

If you have already bought one, tell the district nurse or OT, and keep the instructions. Powered surfaces need power, so ask what to do in a power cut. If you are weighing a bed and mattress together, our guide to a profiling bed or standard bed with rails explains how beds differ.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pressure relieving mattress?

It is a specially designed mattress that helps redistribute pressure on vulnerable parts of the body. The NHS lists specially designed mattresses and cushions as both a prevention and a treatment measure for pressure ulcers. It supports, but does not replace, regular repositioning and skin checks.

Who should have a pressure relieving mattress?

People assessed as at risk. The NHS lists difficulty moving, a previous pressure ulcer, recent surgery or serious illness, being underweight and fragile skin among the risk factors. NICE says adults at high risk in community care should have a high-specification foam mattress.

How do I get one on the NHS?

Ask your GP for a pressure ulcer risk assessment if you are cared for at home. Age UK says your GP, district nurse or community physiotherapist can ask the joint NHS and council equipment store for items, which are loaned for as long as you need them.

Can I just buy one online?

It is not advisable without advice. Independent Age recommends an assessment even if buying privately. The wrong type may not protect the person, and the MHRA warns that specialist mattresses and overlays can change the safety of bed rails.

Does a normal foam mattress prevent bed sores?

Not reliably for someone at high risk. NICE says adults at high risk in community care should have a high-specification foam mattress, and that standard specification foam mattresses should not be used for adults who already have a pressure ulcer.

Do I need a special cushion as well as a mattress?

Possibly. Pressure damage can happen in chairs too. NICE says adults who use a wheelchair or sit for long periods should be considered for a high-specification foam, or equivalent, cushion. Ask the professional assessing the person to look at every surface they use.

Will the council charge for a pressure relieving mattress?

Age UK says a council cannot charge for disability equipment or minor adaptations costing £1,000 or less, and store equipment is loaned. Whether a particular item is provided depends on the assessment, so ask your GP, district nurse or council.

Official sources

• NHS: Pressure ulcers (pressure sores)
• NICE: Pressure ulcers, prevention and management (CG179)
• Age UK: Factsheet 42, Disability equipment and home adaptations (March 2026)
• Independent Age: Choosing disability equipment (reviewed April 2021)
• GOV.UK (MHRA): Bed rails, management and safe use
• HSE: Safe use of bed rails

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. The Care Panel is an independent guide and is not part of any government body or care provider. Last checked 9 November 2026.

Related: Hospital bed at home · Bed pads and mattress protectors for adults · Protecting skin with continence products

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.