▁but ▁also ▁en comp ass es ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁ ▁characteristics ▁including ▁age , ▁gender ▁re ass ignment , ▁marriage , ▁pre gn ancy , ▁race , ▁religion , ▁sex ▁and ▁sexual ▁orientation . ▁ ▁Pol ic ies ▁and ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁diff ers ▁significantly ▁from ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁UK . ▁ ▁N HS ▁Medical ▁treatment ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁is ▁generally ▁free ▁under ▁the ▁N HS . ▁ ▁Social ▁Care ▁is ▁subject ▁to ▁a ▁means ▁test . ▁Some ▁services ▁required ▁by ▁disabled ▁people ▁do ▁not ▁fall ▁clearly ▁into ▁either ▁category , ▁and ▁are ▁subject ▁to ▁local ▁r ation ing ▁dec isions . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁saf egu ards ▁in ▁respect ▁of ▁waiting ▁times ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁N HS ▁Constitution ▁for ▁England ▁are ▁often ▁not ▁met . ▁ ▁W igs ▁and ▁tr uss es ▁Pro vision ▁of ▁N HS ▁w igs ▁and ▁fabric ▁supports , ▁i . e . ▁sp inal ▁or ▁ab dom inal ▁supports ▁or ▁surg ical ▁br ass ier es ▁supplied ▁through ▁a ▁hospital ▁are ▁covered ▁by ▁the ▁N HS ▁Low ▁In come ▁Sch eme . ▁ ▁W heel ch airs ▁W heel ch airs ▁both ▁manual ▁and ▁electric ▁are ▁supplied ▁and ▁maintained ▁free ▁of ▁charge ▁for ▁disabled ▁people ▁whose ▁need ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁chair ▁is ▁permanent . ▁ ▁The ▁specific ▁criteria ▁of ▁el ig ibility ▁are ▁decided ▁locally ▁by ▁clin ical ▁commission ing ▁groups ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁health ▁bo ards ▁in ▁Wales . ▁App lic ants ▁must ▁be ▁referred ▁by ▁a