You may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant to cover the cost of a home stairlift if you or someone in your household has a disability or medical condition which makes using the stairs difficult.
Disabled Facilities Grants are administered by your local council, which will determine if you are eligible and how much money you will receive. You can apply to your local council if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and are the owner, tenant or landlord of the property where the stairlift is needed.
Your council must decide on your application within six months, but you should not start any work until your application is approved. The money will be paid once the work is complete and the council is satisfied with the result. It can be paid to you or your stairlift supplier.
For more information about Disabled Facilities Grants click here.
If you live in Scotland you may also be eligible for funding to cover the cost of a home stairlift, but the system is different. For more information click here.
| Type of Grant | Who could benefit? | How to apply | How much could I save? | Link to more information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled Facilities Grant | People with mobility challenges living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland | Through your local council | Up to 100% of the stairlift cost | Click here |
| Scheme of Assistance (Scotland) | People with mobility challenges living in Scotland | Through your local council | 80% to 100% of the stairlift cost | Click here |
| Help for veterans | Armed Forces veterans and their families | Through organisations such as the Royal British Legion, the Veterans Welfare Service and Help for Heroes | Varies by organisation | British Royale Legion Veterans Welfare Service Help for Heroes |
| Charitable grants | The elderly, disabled and those on a low income | Through charities such as The Edward Gostling Foundation and Independence at Home | Varies by charity | Edward Gostling Foundation Independence at Home |
| Charitable grants for specific medical conditions | People living with specific medical conditions (eligibility criteria varies) | Through charities helping people cope with debilitating medical conditions | Varies by charity | Motor Neurone Disease Association Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust |
| Margaret’s Fund | Women with mobility challenges | Application must be made by a ‘supporting professional’ | Case-specific funding | Margaret’s Fund |
| Scottish Welfare Fund | Residents of Scotland on low income or receiving certain benefits | Through the Scottish Government | Case-by-case funding | Click here |
| Care and Repair Scotland | People over 60 or with a disability | Contact through the website | Doesn’t directly fund but guides you through obtaining grants and installation | Click here |
| Royal Agricultural Benevolent Association | People involved in farming | Through the charity | Partial to full cost of stairlift | Click here |
| Electrical Industries Charity | Workers in the electrical and energy industries and their families | Contact through the website | Partial to full cost of stairlift | Click here |
| Category | Benefit / Support | Description | Link to more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Income | State Pension | If you’re a man born on or after April 6th 1951 or a woman born on or after April 6th 1953 you will receive the new State Pension when you reach the qualifying age. You can check at what age you qualify by clicking here. If you were born before those dates you will get the basic State Pension and you may also get Additional State Pension. You need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any new State Pension. The amount you receive will depend on your National Insurance record. | Click here |
| Means tested benefit | Pension Credit | If you’ve reached State Pension age you could qualify for Pension Credit, which gives you extra help with your living costs if you’re on a low income. You need to apply for Pension Credit and whether you get it, or how much you get, depends on your existing means. You could still receive Pension Credit if you have modest savings. | Click here |
| Means tested benefit | Housing Benefit | If you’ve reached State Pension age you might qualify for Housing Benefit if you rent the property that you live in. | Click here |
| Means tested benefit | Council Tax discount | Depending on your means and personal circumstances, you might be able to claim a discount on your Council Tax. To find out if you’re eligible, click the link on the right. | Click here |
| Means tested benefit | Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) | Depending on your means you might qualify for help with interest payments on the mortgage for the home you live in, or for any loans you’ve taken out for certain repairs and home improvements. | Click here |
| Means tested benefit | Budgeting Loan | If you get Pension Credit you may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan to help with specific costs. To check if you’re eligible and how much you could get, click on the link to the right. | Click here |
| Health & disability | Attendance Allowance | If you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you, then Attendance Allowance could help with the extra costs. It is paid at two different rates and how much you get depends on the level of care you need. | Click here |
| Health & disability | Carer’s Allowance | If you care for someone for at least 35 hours per week and the person you care for receives certain benefit, you could get Carer’s Allowance. You don’t have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for. | Click here |
| Health & disability | Disabled Facilities Grants | If you’re disabled and need to make changes to you home, you could get a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council. To find out more (including how to apply), click on the link to the right. | Click here |
| Heating & energy | Winter Fuel Payment | If you’re 65 or over you could get between £100 and £300 to help pay your heating bills in winter. Most eligible people will get the payment automatically, but you can find out more by clicking on the link. You can also choose to opt out of the payment if you feel you don’t need it. | Click here |
| Heating & energy | Cold Weather Payment | If you’re already receiving Pension Credit or Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) you may also receive Cold Weather Payments. These kick in if the temperature in your area is 0°C or below for seven consecutive days. The payment should be made automatically. | Click here |
| Heating & energy | Warm Home Discount | The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill during the winter. If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier should apply the discount to your bill automatically. To find out if you qualify for the discount, click on the link. | Click here |
| Everyday savings | CFree TV Licence | You can get a free TV licence if you’re 75 or older and you receive Pension Credit, or live with a partner who receives it. You can also get a 50% discount on your licence if you’re registered blind or live with someone who is. Click on the link to apply. | Click here |
| Everyday savings | Free NHS prescriptions | In England, you should get free NHS prescriptions when you reach the age of 60, or if you’re younger and have certain medical conditions. You can check your eligibility by clicking on the link. In Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland everyone gets free NHS prescriptions regardless of age. | Click here |
| Everyday savings | Free NHS eye tests | If you’re aged 60 or over you are entitled to a free NHS eye test. If you’re younger but have certain vision-related health conditions, you might also qualify for a free test. To check your eligibility, click the link. | Click here |
| Everyday savings | Free NHS dental treatment | In England, NHS dental treatment doesn’t become free when you reach a certain age, but you might be eligible for free or discounted treatment if you or your partner already receive certain benefits. In Scotland and Wales, people aged 60 and over are entitled to free NHS dental checks but may still have to pay for subsequent treatment. | Click here |
| Everyday savings | Help with travel costs | In England you can apply for a bus pass for free travel when you reach State Pension age. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland you can apply from age 60. If you live in London you can also travel free on buses, tubes and other transport from age 60. To find out more about free public transport for older people, click on the link. | Click here |
* Most of the Government benefits listed above relate to people living in England and Wales. Rules may be different for people living in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but the links provided should still lead to the correct information for your locality.
Another charity, called turn2us, helps people make sure they are receiving the benefits they are entitled to, and find grant funding for essential and practical help such as installing a stairlift. Its website has a useful ‘Grant Search’ facility which helps people find out if they are eligible for a grant, and how to apply for it. To visit the turn2us website, click here.
If you live in England or Wales you may be eligible to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if all of the following apply to you:
If you live in Scotland you need to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead.
If you’re over State Pension age, you can still make a new claim for PIP, but only if you’ve received it before and were eligible for it in the year before you reached State Pension age.
Alternatively, if you’re over State Pension age you can apply for Attendance Allowance, which helps cover extra costs if you have a disability so severe that you need someone to help look after you.
For more information visit: www.gov.uk/pip/eligibility or www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance.