Alternatives to a Stairlift: Options, Costs and Who Each Suits

Most families arrive at a stairlift because it is the option they have heard of. It suits a lot of people, but not everyone. Someone who cannot sit and stand without help, who uses a wheelchair, or whose condition is changing quickly may be better served by something else, and some staircases simply have no safe place for a rail. This guide sets out the realistic alternatives, what each costs where a published figure exists, and who each one suits.

When a stairlift may not be the right answer

A stairlift asks three things of the person using it. They need to sit securely for the journey, get on and off at each end, and understand how to use it safely. If any of those is hard, look at the alternatives before booking a survey.

• Getting on and off is unsafe, for example because standing up needs help or turning at the top landing causes a wobble.
• The person uses a wheelchair full time and would have a second wheelchair upstairs, or cannot transfer at all.
• They have balance problems, severe tremor or spasms that make sitting upright for the journey difficult.
• They are living with later-stage dementia and may not remember how to use the controls safely. Our guide to stairlifts and dementia goes through this.
• The condition is expected to progress quickly, so the lift may only be useful for a short time.
• The staircase has no safe rail position, or is too narrow once handrails and fixtures are taken into account.

None of these automatically rules a stairlift out. They are the questions an occupational therapist assessment will ask, and the assessment is free through your council’s adult social care team.

The alternatives compared

Stairlift prices are the ranges we publish from sellers’ listed prices. The other figures come from the sources listed at the end of this page.

Handrails and small aids

For someone who still climbs but has started to grip the wall, a second banister on the other side of the stairs, a grab rail at the top, brighter lighting and contrasting step edges can make a real difference. Councils in England can often fund small adaptations without the full Disabled Facilities Grant process, so ask adult social care what they provide. This is also the honest first step our is it time for a stairlift guide recommends before anything bigger.

Standing or perch stairlifts

A perch lift lets the user lean against a small seat rather than sit fully. It takes less width than a seated lift, which helps on narrow stairs, and suits people whose knees or hips do not bend comfortably. It does need good balance and enough strength to stand for the journey. See our standing stairlifts guide for models and prices.

Through-floor and platform lifts

A through-floor lift travels vertically through an opening in the ceiling, usually from a living room into a bedroom. It is the main option for someone who uses a wheelchair or cannot transfer onto a stairlift seat, and it takes no space on the stairs at all. It costs several times more than a stairlift, needs building work and building control, and the Disabled Facilities Grant maximum of £30,000 in England may not cover everything. Our guides to the stairlift versus home lift decision and to platform and wheelchair lifts compare them in detail.

A platform stair lift carries a wheelchair along the staircase itself. They need a wide staircase and are more common in public buildings than homes. A short-rise step lift is the usual answer for a few steps at an entrance.

Living downstairs

Bringing the bed downstairs costs nothing on the first night and is often how families cope while waiting for an assessment. As a permanent arrangement it needs a room that can be private, and a toilet and shower within reach. Where there is a spare room and drainage nearby, an accessible ground-floor shower room typically costs £5,000 to £15,000. Where there is not, an extension costs far more. Our guide to a stairlift versus moving downstairs sets out the costs and the things people regret.

Moving home

For some households the house itself is the problem: the bathroom is upstairs, the stairs are steep and narrow, and needs are only going to grow. Moving to a bungalow or ground-floor flat removes the stairs entirely, at the cost of the move and leaving a familiar home. Our comparison of a stairlift versus moving house works through the decision.

How funding changes the choice

The Disabled Facilities Grant can pay for a stairlift, a through-floor lift, a ground-floor shower room or a combination, up to £30,000 in England and £36,000 in Wales, means-tested for adults. In Northern Ireland the Housing Executive’s grant goes up to £35,000. The council funds the adaptation the occupational therapist recommends, so if a stairlift meets the need, a council is unlikely to pay for a more expensive alternative instead. Our grant checker gives a quick indication of whether you might qualify.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest alternative to a stairlift?

Extra handrails, grab rails and better lighting cost the least and are often provided by the council. Moving a bed downstairs costs nothing at first. Of the mechanical options, a straight stairlift is usually the cheapest at about £1,500 to £3,500 fitted.

What can I use instead of a stairlift for a wheelchair user?

A through-floor lift is the usual option, because the user stays in the wheelchair between floors. One maker publishes a starting price of about £17,000 before VAT. A platform lift can work where there is a short rise or a wide staircase.

Is a through-floor lift better than a stairlift?

Not better, but different. A stairlift is far cheaper and needs no building work, but only suits someone who can sit and transfer safely. A through-floor lift suits wheelchair users and people who cannot transfer.

Will the council pay for an alternative to a stairlift?

The Disabled Facilities Grant can fund any adaptation an occupational therapist recommends as necessary and appropriate, up to the limit for your nation. It funds what meets the need, so it will not usually pay for a dearer option if a stairlift would do.

My stairs are too narrow for a stairlift. What are my options?

Ask a surveyor to check a slimline or perch model first, since some fit narrower stairs than people expect. If none fits, a through-floor lift, living downstairs or moving home are the realistic alternatives.