Key takeaways
- → £2,000–£4,000 for a straight stairlift and £4,500–£8,000+ for a curved one (Which?, 2026).
- → £3,867 was the average price owners actually paid for a new stairlift in the most recent Which? survey (Dec 2022).
- → 2×: each corner in your staircase doubles the initial price, according to Which?.
- → 0% VAT on the stairlift, fitting and repairs if you are disabled or chronically sick (HMRC Notice 701/7).
- → Up to £30,000 from a Disabled Facilities Grant in England, £36,000 in Wales and £25,000 in Northern Ireland (GOV.UK).
- → 37% of owners needed a professional repair, at an average cost of £257 (Which? owner survey).
- → 33% of owners who asked for a buy-back quote were unhappy with the offer (Which?).
How much do stairlifts cost? In 2026, a standard straight stairlift typically costs £2,000 to £4,000, and a curved stairlift £4,500 to £8,000 or more, according to manufacturer pricing gathered by Which?[1]. The price on the quote is only part of the cost, though. VAT relief, council grants, batteries, repairs and the low resale value all change what you actually pay over the years. This guide brings those numbers together from Which?, HMRC, GOV.UK, the NHS and Citizens Advice Scotland. Each figure links to its source.
1Stairlift prices by type in 2026
Straight stairlifts are the cheapest because the rail is a standard length cut to fit. Curved rails are made for one staircase only.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New straight stairlift | £2,000–£4,000 | Which?, 2026[1] |
| New curved stairlift (bespoke rail) | £4,500–£8,000+ | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Typical starting price | ~£2,000 | Age UK Mobility[7] |
| Average paid, any new stairlift | £3,867 | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
| Average paid, straight | £3,371 | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
| Average paid, curved | £4,728 | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
was the average price paid for a new stairlift, which sits inside the 2026 straight-stairlift range. Curved buyers paid £1,357 more on average than straight buyers.
Which? owner survey, fieldwork December 2022, published 2024. No newer UK survey of prices actually paid has been published.
The 2026 ranges come from manufacturers, while the averages come from owners, so they don't match exactly. Which? does not say whether its ranges include VAT, so ask every supplier for a written price with any VAT relief already applied. If you're unsure which type you need, our guide to choosing between a curved and a straight stairlift explains how it's decided.
2Why every corner can double the price
Curved stairlifts cost more because the rail is made for your staircase alone. Which? says that "every corner in your staircase will double the initial price".[1]
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Price effect of each corner | ×2 | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Installation time (branded models) | 1–14 days | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Curved starting price | £4,500 | Which?, 2026[1] |
The longer installation times are for curved models, because the rail has to be measured, made and then fitted. The rail-building process is explained in our look at how curved stairlift rails are custom-built. Narrow or awkward stairs don't always rule out a straight model, so check the minimum staircase dimensions before accepting a curved quote.
3VAT relief can take 20% off
If you are chronically sick or disabled, you pay no VAT on a stairlift, its installation, or later repairs and maintenance.[3]
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stairlift for a disabled or chronically sick person | 0% VAT | HMRC Notice 701/7, s3.2 & s4.3[3] |
| Installation of an eligible stairlift | 0% VAT | HMRC Notice 701/7, s5.1[3] |
| Repair and maintenance | 0% VAT | HMRC Notice 701/7, s5.2[3] |
| Aged 60+, supplied and installed at home | 5% VAT | HMRC Notice 701/7, s9.1–9.2[3] |
VAT applies when you sign a written declaration of eligibility. A parent, guardian or other responsible person can sign it if you can't. Without this relief, you'd pay the standard 20% rate.
HMRC VAT Notice 701/7 (current guidance).
The 5% rate for people aged 60 or over only applies if the same company both supplies and installs the stairlift. Buying the equipment alone doesn't qualify. Zero-rating also covers repairs, so it applies to stairlift servicing and repairs later on too.
4Grants and council help: up to £36,000
A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) from your council can pay for a stairlift. The maximum depends on where you live, and in Scotland a different scheme applies.[4]
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DFG maximum, England | £30,000 | GOV.UK[4] |
| DFG maximum, Wales | £36,000 | GOV.UK[4] |
| DFG maximum, Northern Ireland | £25,000 | GOV.UK[4] |
| Scotland: scheme of assistance | 80%–100% | Citizens Advice Scotland[5] |
| Savings counted in the means test | Over £6,000 | GOV.UK[4] |
| Council pays for adaptations under | £1,000 | NHS[6] |
The DFG is means-tested on household income and savings over £6,000, but disabled children under 18 can get one without their parents' income being counted.[4]In Scotland, the minimum grant is 80% of the eligible cost, rising to 100% for people receiving benefits such as Universal Credit or the guarantee part of Pension Credit.[5]The NHS says councils should pay for adaptations costing less than £1,000.[6] Every stairlift price in the Which? ranges is above that, so this mainly covers smaller items such as grab rails.
single-adaptation grants approved by Hastings Borough Council in 2025–26 were for stairlifts. The council's average DFG that year was £15,206.[10]
Hastings Borough Council DFG statistics, 2025–26. Figures for one council, not a national average.
Councils also buy stairlifts in bulk. In February 2026, YPO tendered a £70 million framework for stairlifts and related services running from 2026 to 2030.[11]A grant usually means waiting for an assessment, so if you need a stairlift quickly, such as after hip or knee surgery, compare the wait with paying yourself or renting.
5Renting vs buying
Renting costs less upfront but more over time. You pay an installation fee and then a monthly charge.[1]
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rental installation fee | £350–£1,500+ | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Monthly rental, straight (local supplier) | ~£40 | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Monthly rental, complex curved | £150+ | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Age UK Mobility upfront, straight | ~£1,300 | Age UK Mobility[7] |
| Age UK Mobility upfront, curved | ~£3,000 | Age UK Mobility[7] |
The Age UK Mobility upfront payment covers installation and the first six months, and monthly payments start in month seven.[7]At £40 a month, rent adds up to £2,000, the bottom of the Which? range for buying a straight stairlift, after 50 months, on top of the installation fee. Our rent-or-buy comparison goes through when each makes sense, and finance options are another way to spread the cost.
6Running, repair and resale: the hidden costs
After you buy, the main costs are batteries, repairs and call-outs. When you no longer need the stairlift, expect to get very little back.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Battery pair (standard) | ~£85 | Which?, 2026[1] |
| Lithium batteries | ~£300 | Which?, 2026[1] |
| How often batteries may need replacing | Every couple of years | Which?, 2026[8] |
| Owners needing a professional repair | 37% | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
| Average repair cost | £257 | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
| Call-out fee | Up to £275 + parts | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
| Unhappy with buy-back offer (of 159) | 33% | Which? owner survey, Dec 2022[2] |
Resale values are low because the rail is cut to fit one staircase and removal is skilled work. Before you sign, ask whether removal is included. Age UK Mobility, for example, removes its stairlifts free of charge for up to six years after installation.[7]A beeping stairlift is usually a battery warning, not a fault. Our guide to stairlift beeping covers it, and battery replacement is a routine job. You also have consumer rights: 14 days to cancel, and 30 days to reject a faulty stairlift for a full refund.[9]
75-year stairlift cost calculator
Enter your quote to see what the stairlift will cost over five years once VAT, any grant, batteries and one repair are included.
5-year cost = quote × (1 + VAT) − grant + batteries (£170) + repair allowance (£257). Battery and repair figures come from Which? (2026 and the December 2022 owner survey). Batteries are shown with 20% VAT unless you qualify for zero-rating. This is a planning estimate, not a quote.
8What a local fitter charges
The Which? ranges reflect national manufacturer pricing. Independent local fitters can charge less. As one example, these are our own Greater Manchester prices for October 2026, for comparison and not as a national average.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New straight stairlift, fitted | From £1,195 | Stairlifts Cost price list, Oct 2026 |
| New curved stairlift | From £2,950 | Stairlifts Cost price list, Oct 2026 |
| Reconditioned straight stairlift | From £995 | Stairlifts Cost price list, Oct 2026 |
A reconditioned stairlift is the cheapest way to buy outright. See what to check on a reconditioned stairlift before you buy. To find out your own price, our stairlift cost estimator gives a guide in under a minute, and a free home survey gives you a fixed written quote.
9Methodology
We researched this guide on 4 October 2026. We consulted 24 sources and cite 13 here. Nine are from 2026 and one is an NHS page reviewed in December 2025. One is the Which? owner survey (fieldwork December 2022, published 2024), included because no newer UK survey of prices actually paid exists. HMRC Notice 701/7 is current VAT guidance. Reddit figures are labelled as user-reported, and we used them only to show resale experiences. We left out any figure we couldn't trace to a named source, including annual servicing prices and regional price differences, because we found no reliable public data. We'll review this page every six months and when Which? or GOV.UK update their figures.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a stairlift cost in the UK in 2026?+
Which? puts standard straight stairlifts at £2,000 to £4,000 and custom curved stairlifts at £4,500 to £8,000 or more, based on 2026 manufacturer pricing. In its owner survey (December 2022), the average price paid was £3,867 for a new stairlift: £3,371 for straight and £4,728 for curved. Local fitters can come in lower. Our Greater Manchester prices start at £1,195 fitted for a new straight stairlift.
Do you pay VAT on a stairlift?+
Not if you are chronically sick or disabled and the stairlift is for your personal or domestic use. HMRC VAT Notice 701/7 lets suppliers zero-rate the stairlift, its installation and later repairs, provided you sign a written declaration. If you are 60 or over but not eligible for zero-rating, a stairlift that is supplied and installed in your home qualifies for the 5% reduced rate.
Can I get a stairlift free from the council?+
You can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant of up to £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales and £25,000 in Northern Ireland (GOV.UK). It is means-tested on household income and savings over £6,000. In Scotland, the scheme of assistance covers at least 80% of the eligible cost, or 100% if you receive certain benefits such as Universal Credit or guarantee Pension Credit (Citizens Advice Scotland).
Is it cheaper to rent or buy a stairlift?+
Renting suits short-term needs. Which? reports rental installation fees of around £350 to more than £1,500, then about £40 a month for a straight stairlift from a local supplier, up to £150+ for a complex curved one. At £40 a month, rent passes £2,000, the bottom of the Which? purchase range, after about four years on top of the set-up fee.
How much does it cost to run and repair a stairlift?+
Batteries cost around £85 for a pair to around £300 for lithium (Which?, 2026), and may need replacing every couple of years. In the Which? owner survey, 37% of owners needed a professional repair. The average repair cost was £257, and call-out fees reached up to £275 plus parts.
Can I sell my stairlift back?+
Expect very little. In the Which? survey, 33% of the 159 owners who got a buy-back quote were dissatisfied with it. Owners on Reddit report offers of £225 for a £2,700 stairlift and £350 for a £1,700 one. Before buying, ask whether removal is free. Age UK Mobility, for example, removes its stairlifts free for up to six years after installation.
Why do curved stairlifts cost so much more?+
A curved stairlift needs a rail made to fit your staircase exactly, so it cannot be taken from stock. Which? says every corner in your staircase will double the initial price. It also notes that installation takes between one and 14 days, with the longer waits for curved models.
Sources
- Which?. "Buying and installing a stairlift (updated 24 Aug 2026)." https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/stairlifts/article/how-to-buy-the-best-stairlift/buying-and-installing-a-stairlift. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Which?. "6 things you need to know about buying a stairlift (2024; owner survey Dec 2022)." https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/6-things-you-need-to-know-about-buying-a-stairlift-afFYv3Y8KERI. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- HMRC. "Reliefs from VAT for disabled and older people (VAT Notice 701/7)." https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reliefs-from-vat-for-disabled-and-older-people-notice-7017. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- GOV.UK. "Disabled Facilities Grants: what you'll get." https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants/what-youll-get. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Citizens Advice Scotland. "The scheme of assistance for house repairs and adaptations." https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/housing/home-repairs-improvements-and-adaptations-s/housing-grants-and-loans-s/. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- NHS. "Home adaptations (reviewed 12 Dec 2025)." https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/care-services-equipment-and-care-homes/home-adaptations/. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Age UK Mobility. "Stairlift costs." https://www.ageukmobility.co.uk/stairlift-costs/. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Which?. "Installing stairlifts (2026)." https://www.which.co.uk/later-life-care/home-care/home-adaptations/installing-stairlifts-a7zgt1h9zc7v. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Which?. "Dodgy stairlift sales tactics to avoid (2026)." https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/stairlifts/article/how-to-buy-the-best-stairlift/dodgy-stairlift-sales-tactics-to-avoid-aGaAi3c8PIiS. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Hastings Borough Council. "Disabled Facilities Grant statistics 2025–26." https://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/improvement/dfg/dfg-stats. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Find a Tender. "YPO-001314 Stairlifts framework (Feb 2026)." https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014374-2026. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Reddit r/AskUK. "Selling a used stairlift (user-reported)." https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/p0yx3z/does_anyone_have_any_experience_selling_a_used/. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Reddit r/stairlift. "Stairlift resale scheme recommendations UK (user-reported)." https://www.reddit.com/r/stairlift/comments/1uh0yex/stairlift_resale_scheme_recommendations_uk/. Accessed 4 October 2026.
Last updated: 4 October 2026