Your stairlift questions, answered honestly

We cover the whole of Merseyside - that's Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton (including Southport), Knowsley and St Helens. We're a local, independent team based in the area, so wherever you are across the five boroughs, we can come to you.

Not at all. The simplest first step is to book a free home visit or pick up the phone for a friendly chat. There's no obligation and nothing is fixed until you're completely happy. If you'd rather send us some details first, our quick self-survey lets you do that in a few minutes.

We come to you - no showroom trip needed. We measure your staircase, talk through the needs of whoever will be using the stairlift, and recommend the right type honestly. You'll then get a clear written quote with nothing hidden, and all the time you need to decide. If we think you don't need a stairlift yet, we'll tell you that too.

Yes. Our self-survey walks you through measuring your stairs step by step, with simple diagrams, and lets you send us the details and a few photos. It helps us understand your staircase before we visit - though we'll always confirm everything in person, since an accurate stairlift quote needs the stairs to be seen.

Not at the moment - we supply, fit and look after stairlifts to buy, whether new or reconditioned. If your need is shorter-term, it's worth knowing a stairlift can be removed later without damaging your stairs, and a reconditioned model can keep the cost down. Call us and we'll talk through the most sensible option for your situation.

It comes down to the shape of your staircase. If your stairs run in one straight line with no bends or landings, a straight stairlift will suit. If they turn, curve or have a half-landing, you'll need a curved stairlift, custom-built to your stairs. Older Merseyside homes, especially terraces, often have a turn partway up - so curved lifts are more common here than people expect. Not sure? We'll confirm it at the free visit.

A reconditioned stairlift is a previously-owned model that's been thoroughly checked over and made safe, at a lower price than new. Both are safe when properly checked - it's really about budget and choice. New gives you the widest choice of models and the longest warranty; reconditioned helps keep costs down, and the choice is widest for straight staircases because curved rails are made to measure.

Availability of reconditioned stairlifts changes depending on what's around at the time, and the right option depends on your staircase. Rather than promise something we can't guarantee is in stock, the honest answer is: tell us what you need, and we'll let you know what reconditioned options are genuinely available to you - and whether one is the right choice at all.

A stairlift is often the right answer if someone finds the stairs tiring, unsteady or painful, is at risk of a fall, or is recovering from surgery or illness. If the person uses a wheelchair and can't transfer to a seat, a different solution such as a through-floor lift may suit better - and we'll tell you honestly if that's the case. Our how it works & buying guide talks this through in plain English.

The honest answer is: it depends on your stairs. The two biggest factors are whether you need a straight or curved lift, and whether it's new or reconditioned. A straight stairlift is the most affordable because the rail is standard; a curved one costs more because the rail is custom-built to your staircase, so there's no single price. We give a clear written quote after a free home visit, and grants or VAT relief can reduce what you pay.

You'll sometimes see eye-catching "from" prices online. We'd rather not, because the real figure depends entirely on your staircase - and a number that turns out to be wrong helps no one. Instead we give you a clear written quote after a free home visit, with nothing hidden and no obligation.

Often, yes. If you're chronically sick or disabled you pay 0% VAT; if you're over 60 the reduced rate is 5% (versus the usual 20%). You may also qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant through your council, and some charitable funds can help too. Our grants & funding guide walks through every route in plain English.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is the main route to public funding for a stairlift. It's a government grant paid through your local council to help adapt your home so a disabled person can live there safely. In England the maximum is up to £30,000 per application, though a stairlift usually costs a small fraction of that. For most adults it's means tested - but the means test decides how much you contribute, not whether you qualify. Full details are on our grants & funding page.

For most adult applicants in England the DFG is means tested, which decides your contribution rather than whether you qualify. Savings over £6,000 are typically taken into account; savings below that usually aren't. Applications for children under 18 aren't means tested at all. One important warning: don't order or install a stairlift before your council formally approves the grant, or you can lose the funding - always wait for written approval.

If you're chronically sick or disabled, a stairlift for your own use is zero-rated - 0% VAT. If you're over 60 but not disabled, a reduced 5% rate can apply to the supply and installation. You'll sign a simple eligibility declaration; you don't need to be registered disabled or claiming benefits. See our grants & funding guide for how it works.

A straight stairlift can often be fitted in a single visit, sometimes within days. A curved stairlift takes longer - usually a few weeks - because the rail is manufactured to match your staircase exactly. We'll always give you a realistic timeframe rather than an optimistic one.

No. The rail fixes to the stair treads, not the wall, so there's no structural work to your home. It also means the stairlift can be removed later without structural damage to your stairs - one reason a stairlift suits a shorter-term need as well as a permanent one.

Yes. Because the rail fixes to the treads rather than the wall, it can be taken out later without structural damage to your stairs. If your need changes, the stairlift can come out cleanly.

Our fitters install the rail and chair, test everything thoroughly, and then show you how to use it confidently before they leave. For a curved lift, a survey happens first so the rail can be made to measure, then it's fitted once it's ready. After that, we're here for servicing and support - the same team who installed it.

Our servicing and repairs are mainly for stairlifts we supplied and fitted, because we know the equipment and hold its history. If yours was installed elsewhere, please still call - we'll be honest about whether we can help or point you in the right direction. We'd rather tell you straight than take on something we can't do properly.

Once a year is the usual recommendation for a stairlift in regular use. Like a car or a boiler, an annual service keeps it running smoothly, keeps the safety features working, and catches small problems before they lead to a breakdown at the worst moment.

A stairlift usually gives you warning before it fails. Get in touch if you notice unfamiliar warning lights or beeps, unusual noises, slower or jerky movement, or anything that just doesn't feel right. Catching these early often means a small fix rather than a breakdown. See our services & repairs page for the full list of warning signs.

If your stairlift was originally supplied VAT-free because you're chronically sick or disabled, that relief also covers servicing and repairs, so there's no VAT on the aftercare. For the over-60s reduced rate, VAT relief applies only to the original supply and installation, not to later work.

Yes. We're a small, independent, local team covering Merseyside - not a national call centre. One of the owners lives on the Wirral, and we set the company up to give people here straight answers, fair prices and proper aftercare. You can read more about us.

Yes - our fitters are fully insured and DBS-checked. They're working in your home, often with vulnerable people, so this matters to us as much as it does to you.

We'd rather earn your trust with honesty than with big claims. That means no invented reviews, no pushy sales and no fixed prices plucked from the air - just a proper home assessment, a clear written quote, and straight advice on funding, including help you're entitled to that some companies gloss over. If a stairlift isn't right for you, we'll say so.

Look for a proper home assessment before any price, a clear written quote with no pressure to sign on the day, fully insured and DBS-checked fitters, genuine aftercare from the same people who fitted it, and honest advice on funding. Our buying guide explains each of these in more detail.

Call us on 07484 739900 - we're happy to chat things through with no pressure. You can also book a free home visit online or email info@merseystairlifts.co.uk. However you reach us, there's no obligation.