Choosing Home Lifts or Stairlifts: OT Safety Guide

Home Lifts and Stairlifts in OT Home Adaptations: Choosing the Safest Upstairs Access

A practical guide to lift options that reduce falls risk, support independence and ease carer strain.

When stairs stop being a “normal part of the home” and start becoming a clinical risk, the adaptation conversation changes quickly. In Occupational therapy led home adaptations, vertical access is often about maintaining safe functional routines (bedroom/bathroom access), reducing falls exposure, managing fatigue, and lowering carer strain not adding convenience. The NHS describes home adaptations as changes that make it safer and easier to move around and manage everyday tasks, and includes stairlifts among typical examples.

This guide sets out a simple decision framework and explains where stairlifts, platform stairlifts, home lifts and through-floor lifts are most commonly used in OT practice.

Why “upstairs access” becomes a safety priority

Falls risk is rarely one issue; it’s usually a mix of reduced capacity, environment and routine. NICE’s falls guideline focuses on assessing risk and using interventions to reduce falls and the impact on independence and confidence. At home, practical measures like improving lighting and removing hazards are often part of the plan, but where stairs are the main risk point, reducing repeated stair use can be the most meaningful change.

A simple Occupational Therapy decision framework: stairlift vs home lift

Families often want a quick answer, so it helps to frame it around safe transfers + safe routine, rather than the product.

Stairlifts tend to suit when:

• Transfers on/off are safe, consistent, and repeatable
• Sitting tolerance and posture are stable enough for the journey
• Controls can be used reliably (dexterity, vision, cognition)
• The approach/exit at both landings is safe (space, lighting, no trip hazards)

Home lifts tend to suit when:

• Transfers are unsafe/inconsistent, or assistance is routine
• Wheelchair use is current or likely (future-proofing matters)
• Fatigue, pain or breathlessness makes stairs a repeat risk
• Carer handling risk needs to be reduced

This aligns well with how home adaptations are explained in NHS guidance: the goal is safe, functional access in everyday life.

Lift options: Occupational Therapists commonly recommend (and why)

1) Stairlifts (straight and curved)

Stairlifts can be appropriate where the person can transfer safely onto a seat, tolerate sitting during travel, and operate controls reliably. They are often most suitable when the primary barrier is the physical effort of climbing stairs, rather than wider issues such as transfers, wheelchair use, or progressive decline.

2) Platform stairlifts (wheelchair platforms)

Platform stairlifts support wheelchair users where travel along the staircase itself remains the most practical option. They can work well in properties where floor-to-floor lifts are not feasible, provided there is sufficient space for safe parking, turning and circulation.

3) Domestic home lifts (internal lifts)

Domestic home lifts are often the safer choice when transfers are unreliable, assistance is frequent, or the person needs to remain in a wheelchair between floors. They reduce repeated stair exposure and can simplify daily routines, particularly where fatigue, pain or breathlessness affect stair use.

4) Through-floor lifts (no traditional shaft)

Through-floor lifts are commonly used in existing homes where building a full shaft would be impractical. They travel through a floor opening and typically require less structural work than a traditional lift installation.

Minimal building works in existing homes (what “practical” really means)

Through-floor lifts can significantly reduce structural disruption compared with traditional shaft-based lifts, but they still require careful planning. Survey-led feasibility is essential to confirm:

• Safe opening location
• Structural suitability
• Access routes for installation
• Adequate landing space at both levels

A helpful way to explain this to families is that these lifts usually involve less disruption than building a shaft, rather than no disruption at all.

Funding and VAT relief: what to signpost (without over-promising)

Funding pathways vary by local authority, but the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is commonly used to support adaptations that improve access within the home, including solutions for stairs.

For VAT relief, HMRC provides clear guidance on eligibility for disabled people and long-term conditions. Relief is typically available where equipment is supplied for personal or domestic use, and appropriate declarations are completed.

You can signpost families directly to the official guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-relief-on-certain-goods-if-you-have-a-disability

In practice, OT evidence that supports funding or VAT relief usually focuses on functional need, including:

• Stairs as a barrier to essential rooms
• Falls risk or near-falls history
• Unsafe transfers or reduced stair tolerance
• Fatigue, breathlessness, or pain affecting mobility
• Wheelchair use or anticipated progression

Keeping the rationale factual and focused on safety and independence tends to be more effective than emphasising medical detail.

Installation, handover and aftercare: what families should expect

A lift recommendation holds up best when expectations are clear:

• Enquiry → survey → specification sign-off → installation → commissioning → handover
• Handover should cover: safe entry/exit routine, control use, emergency procedure, and carer guidance
• Aftercare should cover: a planned servicing approach and where documentation is stored for future reviews

NHS guidance on falls and staying safe at home can support the “why” behind routines, clear routes, and home safety checks.

Need practical advice on lift options for a home adaptation?

Choosing the right solution is always about safety, usability and what will work long-term in the property. If you’re an Occupational Therapist, family member or housing professional exploring lift options, it can help to discuss feasibility early before layouts, expectations or funding pathways become fixed.

A survey-led conversation can clarify what’s realistic in the home, what level of building work may be involved, and which type of lift is most likely to provide safe, reliable access between floors.

If you’d like to talk through a case or request a feasibility check, you can get in touch here: https://innovatelifts.com/contact/