Stairlift Fitters
Stairs getting harder? Find out what a stairlift for your staircase is likely to cost, what help there is to pay for it, and get a written price from an installer who covers your area.
Get stairlift quotesA free matching service. We do not fit stairlifts ourselves; how it works.
- Buy new, fitted
- £2,000 to £4,000
- Buy reconditioned
- £1,200 to £2,500
- Rent
- £350 to £1,500 to fit, then from £40 a month
Often fitted within a week or two of the survey, in about half a day. More on straight stairs
- Buy new, fitted
- £4,500 to £6,500
- Buy reconditioned
- Rarely possible: the rail is made for one staircase
- Rent
- About £3,000 upfront, then a monthly fee
Rail made to measure, so usually a few weeks; fitting takes about a day. More on one bend stairs
- Buy new, fitted
- £6,000 to £8,000+
- Buy reconditioned
- Rarely possible: the rail is made for one staircase
- Rent
- Up to £150+ a month after a larger upfront payment
The longest rail to make, often several weeks; fitting takes a day or more. More on two bends stairs
- Buy new, fitted
- From about £4,000
- Buy reconditioned
- Ask: few firms refurbish outdoor lifts
- Rent
- Offered by some firms; priced after the survey
Needs a safe outdoor power supply first; straight runs fit in about half a day. More on outdoor stairs
Typical UK prices, a guide not a quote. Most users pay no VAT.
What do you need?
Start with the stairs, or with the job. Each page gives prices, what to check and the questions families ask.
- Straight stairsNew and fitted from about £2,000
- Stairs with a bendRail made to measure for your staircase
- Steps outsideWeatherproof lifts for doors and gardens
- A cheaper, used liftReconditioned straight lifts, £1,200 to £2,500
- Only for a whileRent by the month, removal usually included
- Take an old one outRemoval from about £100
- Fix or service a liftAnnual service and breakdown repairs
- Help paying for itDisabled Facilities Grant and VAT relief
What a stairlift costs, four ways to pay
Typical UK prices with fitting. Most people who need a stairlift because of a long-term illness or disability pay no VAT, so compare quotes on the same basis.
| Way to pay | Straight stairs | Stairs with bends | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy new | £2,000 to £4,000 | £4,500 to £8,000+ | A long-term need; full warranty and choice of seat |
| Buy reconditioned | £1,200 to £2,500 | Rarely possible | Straight stairs on a budget, or when speed matters |
| Rent | £350 to £1,500 + from £40/month | About £3,000 + up to £150+/month | A short or uncertain need, or while a grant is decided |
| Council grant | Up to the full cost | Up to the full cost | Means tested; up to £30,000 in England |
Help from the council, by nation
A stairlift is one of the adaptations councils pay for most often. The route depends on where you live, and it always starts with an assessment, usually by an occupational therapist.
Do not order the lift first. GOV.UK warns you may get no grant if work starts before the council approves it.
- EnglandDisabled Facilities Grant
- Up to £30,000From the local council; means tested on household income and savings over £6,000.
- WalesDisabled Facilities Grant
- Up to £36,000From the local council. Ask too about smaller, faster adaptation schemes.
- Northern IrelandDisabled Facilities Grant
- Up to £25,000Applied for through the housing executive after an occupational therapy referral.
- ScotlandScheme of assistance
- At least 80% of the cost100% for people on certain benefits, such as Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or Universal Credit.
From first question to first ride
What happens after you ask, step by step. The stairlift fitter we put you in touch with does the survey, the fitting and the aftercare; the contract is between you and them.
- Day 1
You send the form
Two minutes: the shape of the stairs, buy or rent, any grant, and how to reach you. You can do it for a parent.
- Within days
We name an installer
We find a stairlift fitter who covers your area and fits your kind of stairs, and tell you who they are first.
- The survey
Stairs measured, free
They measure the stairs, talk to the user about how they sit and stand, and give you a written price.
- Fitting day
Rail on, chair on
Half a day for most straight lifts; about a day for curved. No mess to speak of: the rail fixes to the stairs, not the wall.
- Every year
Service and peace of mind
A yearly service keeps it safe and catches tired batteries before they leave anyone stranded.
Stairlift installation across the UK
Stairlift fitters work from bases all over the country, and the big makers have engineers in most areas. We cover the whole of the UK. These city pages explain how the council route works locally and what to expect.
Questions families ask
How much does it cost to have a stairlift fitted?
Most new straight stairlifts cost £2,000 to £4,000 fitted, and curved ones £4,500 to £8,000 or more, according to Which?. Reconditioned straight lifts are about £1,200 to £2,500. Try our stairlift cost calculator.
How long does stairlift installation take?
A straight stairlift usually takes about half a day to fit, and many can be fitted within a week or two of the survey. A curved stairlift needs its rail made to measure, which usually takes a few weeks, and then about a day to fit.
Will the council pay for a stairlift?
Often, yes, through a Disabled Facilities Grant in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or the scheme of assistance in Scotland. It starts with an assessment and is usually means tested. Do not order the lift before the council approves the grant. See stairlift grants.
Do you pay VAT on a stairlift?
Not if the person who will use it is chronically sick or disabled and it is for their home. They, or someone on their behalf, sign a short declaration and the fitter zero-rates the lift and the fitting. People aged 60 or over can get a reduced rate instead. See HMRC VAT Notice 701/7.
Can a stairlift be fitted to any staircase?
Nearly all. Straight, curved, spiral and outdoor stairs can all take one. Very narrow stairs may need a slim or perch seat, and a door at the foot of the stairs may need a hinged rail. The free survey tells you what will work.
Can I arrange a stairlift for my mum or dad?
Yes, and many people do. Fill in the form for them, and say in the notes if you would like the installer to arrange the survey with you present.
Where our information comes from
Price ranges are our own reading of Which? research and published UK price guides, checked November 2026.
Ask for stairlift quotes
Three short steps: where the stairs are, what they are like, and how to reach you. About two minutes. You can fill it in for a parent or relative.
- We look for a stairlift installer who covers your area and fits your kind of stairs.
- We tell you who it is. Your details reach them only if you say yes.
- They survey the stairs, free, and give you a written price.
Nobody contacts you until you say yes, and you can stop at any point.
Thank you, your enquiry is in.
- We will email or phone to tell you which stairlift installer covers your area.
- Your details go to that firm only if you say yes.
- They arrange a survey of the stairs and give you a written price. No marketing from us, ever.