Stairlift quote checker
You have a price in front of you and no way to tell whether it is reasonable. Enter the quote below and this tool will show you where it sits against the installed prices we publish for that type of stairlift, whether the VAT on it looks right, and what you should ask before you sign anything.
It takes about a minute. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored. The check runs entirely in your browser.
How do you tell if a stairlift quote is fair?
Compare it against three things: the installed price other people pay for the same type of stairlift, the VAT rate you should actually be charged, and what the price includes. A quote is not high or low on its own. It is high or low relative to what comes with it.
Most people never make that comparison, because the price only appears at the end of a home survey, often with a discount attached to signing that day. By then the number has no context. The table below is the context.
Typical installed prices in the UK
| Type | Typical installed price | What moves the price within the range |
|---|---|---|
| Straight, new | £2,000 to £3,500 | Rail length, seat and armrest options, powered swivel, hinged rail at the bottom |
| Straight, reconditioned | £800 to £1,500 | Age of the unit, whether the rail is new or cut down from stock |
| Curved, new | £3,500 to £8,000 and above | Number of bends, half landings, fan-shaped treads, inside or outside the turn |
| Curved, reconditioned | £2,500 to £4,500 | Whether an existing rail can be re-cut to fit your staircase |
| Outdoor | £3,200 to £5,500 | Weatherproofing, covers, groundworks, power supply run |
| Standing or perch | £2,200 to £3,500 | Rail length, headroom constraints |
| Heavy duty | £2,800 to £5,500 | Weight capacity, seat width, reinforced motor and rail |
| Narrow staircase | £2,100 to £4,500 | Slimline rail, folding footrest, whether a standard model fits at all |
| Rental | £50 to £80 a month plus £300 to £500 to install | Minimum term, whether removal is included at the end |
These are the same figures we publish on the stairlift prices page, compared excluding VAT so that quotes with and without VAT relief can be judged on the same basis.
Should there be VAT on a stairlift quote?
This is where quotes most often go wrong, and it is worth 20 per cent of the price, so it is worth getting right. There are three possible rates and the correct one depends on who the stairlift is for, not on the company selling it.
| Who the stairlift is for | VAT rate | What you have to do |
|---|---|---|
| A person who is chronically sick or disabled, buying for their own domestic or personal use | 0 per cent | Sign the supplier’s eligibility declaration before you pay |
| A person aged 60 or over who is not chronically sick or disabled | 5 per cent | Confirm your age with the installer, this is the reduced rate for mobility aids installed in the home |
| Anyone else | 20 per cent | Standard rate applies |
You do not need a formal diagnosis, a benefit award or a doctor’s letter to qualify for the zero rate. HMRC’s test is a long-term condition that affects your ability to carry out everyday activities. You self-declare it in writing, and the declaration is a separate document from the order form and the invoice. If a company has quoted you a price with 20 per cent VAT on it and the stairlift is for someone who is chronically sick or disabled, ask for the quote to be reissued zero rated.
Be careful with the phrase “VAT free” in advertising. It usually means the company will apply the relief if you qualify, not that the price shown has already had VAT taken off. Ask which it is.
What should a stairlift quote include?
Two quotes for the same staircase can differ by more than a thousand pounds simply because one of them includes things the other leaves out. Before you compare the numbers, check that you are comparing the same package.
- Home survey and full installation. Standard on almost every quote. A charge for the survey itself is unusual.
- Rail cut and fitted to your staircase. On a curved lift, ask whether the rail is new or a reconditioned rail being re-cut, because the price difference is large.
- Warranty. Twelve to twenty four months is normal on a new stairlift. Ask whether it covers parts, labour and call-out charges, because a warranty that excludes call-outs is worth much less than one that does not.
- The first service and handover. Some quotes include a service in year one, some start charging immediately.
- Ongoing servicing cost. Get the annual figure in writing now, not after the warranty runs out. See our guide to stairlift servicing costs.
- Removal and making good. Ask what happens at the end. Some contracts include free removal, others charge for it, and it matters if the house may be sold.
- Controls and safety features. Two remote controls, seatbelt, obstruction sensors, swivel seat and a folding footrest are standard on most models rather than paid extras.
Questions to ask before you sign
These are the questions that change the number. Ask them in the survey, not afterwards.
- Is this price before or after VAT relief has been applied?
- Which model is this, and what would the same model cost without the optional extras?
- Is the rail new or reconditioned?
- How long is the warranty, and does it cover parts, labour and call-outs?
- What will an annual service cost once the warranty ends?
- Is removal and making good included if we no longer need the lift?
- How long does this price stand if I want to get a second quote?
- On a curved staircase with a flat landing, could two straight lifts do the same job? Where the user can safely move from one seat to the other, this is sometimes possible and it changes the cost substantially. Ask the surveyor whether it would work in your home.
The answer to question seven is the most revealing one. A price that is only available if you sign today is a sales tactic, not a discount, and you are entitled to take the quote away and think about it.
Your right to cancel
If you agree to buy a stairlift in your own home, that is an off-premises contract, and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give you 14 days to cancel. For goods, the 14 days run from the day they come into your possession. The trader has to tell you about this right, and if they do not, the cancellation period is extended.
There are limits worth knowing. A curved rail is manufactured to the measurements of your staircase, so it can count as a bespoke item, and if you have asked in writing for work to start during the cancellation period you may owe something for what has already been done. Read the cancellation terms in the contract before you sign, and if you want time to think, say so rather than signing and cancelling later.
What to do if the quote is above the range
Being above the range does not automatically mean the price is wrong. Complex staircases, long rails, heavy duty models and difficult access all justify a higher figure, and a curved lift for a fan-shaped or spiral staircase can sit well above the top of the published range. What you want to know is which of those applies to you. Ask for the quote broken down into the lift, the rail, the installation and each optional extra. If the company will not itemise it, that itself is useful information. Then get a second quote from a different company for the same specification, and a third if the two disagree.
What to do if the quote is below the range
A price below the typical range is not automatically a bargain. Check what it excludes. The common gaps are a short or parts-only warranty, no first service, an older reconditioned unit with no service history, no removal at the end, and VAT added later. Ask for the model name and year, ask whether the rail is new, and ask for the warranty terms in writing.
Before you pay, check whether you have to
A Disabled Facilities Grant can cover a stairlift in full or in part, and in England the maximum is £30,000. Scotland runs a different scheme. If you have not checked, do that before you commit to a price, because a grant application usually requires the council’s own assessment rather than a quote you have already accepted. Use the stairlift grant checker to see which scheme applies where you live, and read the guide to stairlift grants for how the application works.
If you want a cost estimate before you have any quote at all, the stairlift cost calculator gives you a range for your staircase in under a minute.
Frequently asked questions
What is a reasonable price for a stairlift in the UK?
For a new straight stairlift, £2,000 to £3,500 installed is the typical range. A new curved stairlift usually runs from £3,500 to £8,000 and can go higher on complex staircases. Reconditioned straight models typically cost £800 to £1,500. The right comparison is not the headline price but the price for the same specification, warranty and servicing terms.
Are stairlift prices negotiable?
The final figure often moves, which is why home surveys frequently end with a discount. The more useful lever is the specification. Ask what the same model costs without the optional extras, and ask for the quote itemised, because that shows you what you are actually paying for rather than what you are being taken off.
Do I have to pay VAT on a stairlift?
Not if the stairlift is for a person who is chronically sick or disabled and it is for their own domestic or personal use. That is zero rated, and you sign a written eligibility declaration to claim it. If the user is 60 or over but not chronically sick or disabled, a reduced rate of 5 per cent applies to mobility aids installed in the home. Otherwise the standard 20 per cent rate applies.
How many stairlift quotes should I get?
Three is the usual advice, and there is a practical reason for it. Two quotes tell you the two companies disagree. Three tell you which one is the outlier. Make sure all three are for the same type of lift, the same warranty length and the same servicing arrangement, or you are comparing different things.
Can I cancel after signing for a stairlift at home?
Yes. An agreement made in your home is an off-premises contract and carries a 14 day cancellation period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. Bespoke items and work you have asked to start early can affect what you owe, so read the cancellation terms before signing.
Does this checker store my quote?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing you type is transmitted to us or saved anywhere.
Sources
- HM Revenue and Customs, Reliefs from VAT for disabled and older people (VAT Notice 701/7)
- GOV.UK, VAT relief on certain building work if you have a disability, for the 5 per cent reduced rate for people aged 60 and over
- The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 30, cancellation period
- GOV.UK, Disabled Facilities Grants
- Stairlift Guru, UK stairlift prices, for the installed price ranges used by this checker
Choosing a stairlift: our six guides
Independent UK guides on every stage of the decision and the install.
- Is it time for a stairlift? , The decision before you start. Signs, conversations, and what to try first.
- Types of stairlift , Straight, curved, narrow, outdoor, heavy-duty, standing. Which one fits your home.
- Stairlift prices , What stairlifts actually cost in the UK. By type, with what changes the price.
- Stairlift grants and funding , Disabled Facilities Grant, NHS, charity, finance. Who pays for what.
- Buy, rent, or reconditioned , The three routes compared, with a decision flowchart.
- Living with a stairlift , Install, servicing, repair, batteries, sell, remove. The full lifecycle.