Stairlifts for Pensioners: What Help Is Available in Devon
Stairlifts for pensioners are not always paid for out of savings, and a good number of the people we fit for in Plymouth and across Devon end up paying considerably less than they expected. There are two separate routes to bringing the cost down, and most people only know about one of them.
Here is what actually exists, who qualifies, and what to do if you do not.
Is there such a thing as a free stairlift?
Sometimes, yes. There is no scheme that hands out stairlifts to everyone over a certain age, so anyone advertising a free stairlift for pensioners as though it were a giveaway is overstating it. What does exist is the Disabled Facilities Grant, which can cover part or all of the cost depending on your circumstances.
It is administered by your local council. In Plymouth that is Plymouth City Council, in Cornwall it is Cornwall Council for the whole county, and elsewhere in Devon it is your district council. The rules are national but the waiting times vary a good deal between them.
The Disabled Facilities Grant
The maximum grant in England is £30,000, although a stairlift will normally come in well below that. It is not a loan and you do not pay it back, though a charge can be placed on the property for larger amounts.
For adults it is means tested on the income and savings of the disabled person and their partner, not the whole household. Some people receive the full amount, some a contribution, and some are assessed as able to pay themselves. It is worth applying even if you think you may fall into the last group, because the assessment is not always what people expect.
The process starts with an occupational therapy assessment, which you request through adult social care at your council. An occupational therapist visits, looks at the person and the property, and decides what is needed. Be realistic about the timescale. Depending on the council and the time of year it can run from a few months to the best part of a year, and the assessment rather than the funding is usually what takes the time.
VAT relief, which almost everyone qualifies for
This is the one people miss. A stairlift supplied to someone who is chronically sick or disabled is zero rated for VAT. There is no means test, no assessment and no waiting list. You sign a short declaration and the VAT simply does not apply.
Chronically sick or disabled covers a great deal more than people assume. It includes long term conditions such as arthritis, the after effects of a stroke, heart and lung conditions, and general frailty where it affects mobility. It is not limited to people with a formal disability registration.
On a stairlift costing a few thousand pounds, that is a saving of several hundred without any paperwork beyond a one page form. We send it out and talk you through it.
If a grant is not an option
Plenty of people fall outside the means test or simply cannot wait eight months for an assessment. Renting is the usual answer in that situation, and it is what we would suggest if someone is struggling on the stairs now.
A refurbished stairlift is the other route. A reconditioned straight stairlift costs a good deal less than a new one, comes fitted, and is supported by the same engineers afterwards. For a lot of households it is the sensible middle ground between waiting for funding and spending on a brand new unit.
Where to start
- Ring your council and ask for an occupational therapy assessment, since that is the step with the longest wait.
- Ask us for a quote in the meantime, so you know the real figure rather than an estimate.
- Sign the VAT declaration, which applies whether or not you ever get a grant.
- Ask Age UK or Citizens Advice for a benefits check while you are at it, because people at this stage often find they are missing something else they are entitled to.
Common questions
Do pensioners have to pay VAT on a stairlift?
There is no scheme that provides free stairlifts on the basis of age alone. A Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council can cover part or all of the cost where the stairlift is needed on health grounds and you meet the means test, and for anyone under 18 there is no means test at all.
Do pensioners have to pay VAT on a stairlift?
Not if the stairlift is for someone who is chronically sick or disabled, which covers most people buying one. It is zero rated, so no VAT is added. You complete a short declaration and that is the whole process.
How long does a stairlift grant take?
Anywhere from a few months to close to a year depending on your council. The occupational therapy assessment is normally the longest part rather than the funding decision, so requesting that assessment early is the single most useful thing you can do.
Contact AMS Group on 01752 781 681 for a straight answer on what a stairlift would cost you in Plymouth, Devon or Cornwall, and what help you are likely to qualify for.