Costs
Home Lift Prices: How Much Does a Home Lift Cost?
Last updated 30 October 2026. Prices are checked against each maker’s own pages, and running costs use the Ofgem cap rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026.
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In 2026, a home lift in the UK typically costs between £13,000 and £40,000 fully installed, and up to £55,000 for premium traction and hydraulic installations, depending on the type, number of floors served, and features chosen. Through-floor lifts start from around £13,000, vacuum lifts from £29,500, hydraulic lifts from £22,000, and traction shaft lifts from £25,000.
The three main types of domestic lift available in the UK are traction (cable-driven), hydraulic, and vacuum (pneumatic). Each suits different property layouts, budgets, and installation requirements.
Below you will find 2026 price ranges by lift type, the main factors that affect installation cost, and a comparison of leading UK manufacturers including Stiltz, Lifton, and Aritco
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Understanding Home Lift Prices
The cost of a home lift depends on several factors, including the lift type, the lift’s size, and the customisation options desired.
Hydraulic home lifts typically start from around £22,000, with more advanced installations reaching up to £50,000.
Building work and installation can add to the headline price; our installation cost guide breaks it down.
Home Lift Options That Affect Cost: Size, Type & Features
The drive type, the number of floors and the size of the car set most of the price. Through-floor lifts need no shaft or machine room; shaft lifts come with their own enclosure.
A home lift costs more than a stairlift, but it is the only option for a wheelchair user and the one that lets someone keep using both floors when stairs are no longer safe.
Many home lifts also come with options to suit different homes, and most can be fitted with very little disruption to your existing layout.
Home Lift Price List: Prices at a Glance (2026)
This is what you can expect to pay for a home lift (a residential elevator, in American terms) in the UK in 2026, including supply and standard installation:
| Lift Type | Price Range (Installed) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Through-floor platform lift | £13,000 – £25,000 | Two floors, wheelchair access, budget option |
| Vacuum (pneumatic) lift | £29,500 – £45,000 | Small spaces, quick installation, modern look |
| Electric screw-drive lift | £18,000 – £40,000 | Retrofits, all-round reliability |
| Traction (cable) lift | £25,000 – £55,000 | New builds, multi-floor, heavy use |
| Hydraulic lift | £22,000 – £50,000 | Commercial-grade, high capacity |
| Reconditioned lift | £8,000 – £18,000 | Budget buyers, short-term solution |
| Step or platform lift (short rise, up to 3 m) | £6,389 – £25,000 | Steps at an entrance, split levels and outdoor use (installer guide prices; makers publish none); see platform lifts compared |
Prices include standard installation. Complex installations involving significant structural work may cost more. Most UK brands publish their prices excluding VAT: see who pays 0% and who pays 20%.
The full price cluster
Home lift cost by number of floors: 2, 3 and 4 storey prices, and which models can serve three floors at all
Home lift installation cost: what the headline price includes, and what it leaves out
Cheapest home lift in the UK: every published price under £15,000, with its source
The price tracker: all 95 published UK prices, with a change log
Home lift servicing cost: what a service costs a year, and the one maker that prints its own price
Home lift finance: what a home lift costs a month by type, and the one maker that prints its finance terms
Prices by Number of Floors
A two-storey, one-stop home lift starts at about £13,000 installed and runs to roughly £20,000 for a wheelchair-rated car. A third floor is not a percentage uplift on that: no through-floor lift sold in the UK serves three storeys, so a third stop means a shaft or platform lift and a realistic budget of £25,000 to £45,000. Four floors runs £35,000 to £55,000.
Full breakdown: home lift cost by number of floors → Includes the only four published UK prices that state how many floors they cover, and the stops and maximum travel every model publishes.
Installation Cost Breakdown
Installation typically adds £1,500 to £6,000, and it is usually already inside the “from” price a manufacturer publishes, though only two of the six UK brands that publish a price state clearly whether building works are included. A simple retrofit through a timber floor is one to three days; a shaft build with a pit takes three to six weeks and can add £5,000 to £15,000. The variable is your floor, not your lift.
Full breakdown: home lift installation cost → What each brand’s headline price actually covers, and why two UK trades directories publish labour costs for the same job that differ by a factor of thirteen.
How Our Price Bands Were Built
The bands above line up with our Market Report 2026, which priced all 22 current models from the eight brands most sold in the UK: through-floor lifts for two floors at £12,000 to £25,000 installed, and cabin or multi-floor lifts at £18,000 to £38,000 and above. We use £13,000 instead of the report’s £12,000 as the working floor, because £13,000 is the lowest new through-floor price any UK seller currently publishes with a date attached: a one-person Wessex VM, published February 2026. Every published figure behind that sits in our price tracker, including the manufacturers who publish nothing at all. If budget is the deciding factor, the cheapest options at every price point are set out below, and the full workings behind these bands sit in our home lift research and data hub.
How we got these prices
Every figure on this page is checked against the manufacturer and supplier pricing on our own brand pages, which we maintain individually. Where a brand quotes a range we show the installed starting price, not a list price. Watch the VAT basis: every UK brand that publishes both a price and its VAT treatment publishes it excluding VAT, and the Companion figure below came from the supplier on that basis. See VAT on a home lift for who pays 0% and who pays 20%. Platform and step lift prices are labelled as such and are never presented as home lift prices, because a platform lift is a different product.
One figure here is first-party and unpublished: Companion Homelifts supplied their prices and lead times to us directly.
Prices last reconciled across the whole page on 12 October 2026 against our home lift price tracker, which records every price published by every UK manufacturer, dealer and directory, with the source for each. Vacuum lift starting price re-checked on 19 October 2026. Next scheduled check: November 2026.
Cheapest home lift in the UK (2026)
The lowest price published anywhere in the UK for a new home lift is £8,500, and the lowest figure any brand publishes for its own lifts is £14,000. Neither is the number to plan around. The realistic floor for a new, installed, warranted lift is £13,000: a one-person Wessex VM through the floor including standard building works, as published by dealer 1st Choice Home Lifts in February 2026.
Below that, you are in the reconditioned market: specialists sell refurbished through-floor lifts with a warranty from around £8,000 to £12,500, and private sellers list working lifts still fitted in their homes from £1,500: before removal, transport, a new aperture and re-commissioning.
Full guide: cheapest home lift in the UK → Every published price under £15,000 with its source, VAT basis and date, the live second-hand market, and the five ways to cut the cost without cutting corners.
VAT on a Home Lift: the 20% Most Price Guides Leave Out
Claiming 0% VAT? Our home lift VAT relief guide covers who qualifies, how to sign the declaration, and a three-question checker.
Nearly every home lift price published in the UK is a price before VAT, and most pages never say so. When we captured 95 published prices from 34 publishers for our home lift price tracker, 53 of them stated no VAT basis at all. Of the nine brands we track, only four publish a price with its VAT treatment stated, and all four state it excluding VAT.
| Brand | Its own published price | VAT basis stated |
|---|---|---|
| Stiltz | From £17,000 | Excluding VAT |
| Lifton | From £18,000 | Plus VAT |
| Cibes | From £19,000 (Cibes Air) | Exclusive of VAT |
| Companion | £14,000 to £19,000 | Excluding VAT |
| Stannah | From £15,000, including building works | Not stated by Stannah. Its dealer Uplifts states VAT is chargeable unless a disability exemption applies |
| Aritco | £22,000, smallest model | Not stated |
| Terry Lifts | No price published | Not applicable |
| Wessex | No price published | Not applicable |
| SWIFT | No price we could verify | Not applicable |
Captured August 2026 from each brand’s own website. Full sources in the price tracker.
Who actually pays 0%
A home lift is zero-rated for VAT when it is supplied and installed to help a person who is chronically sick or disabled move between floors of their own private residence. HMRC defines that as a physical or mental impairment with a long-term, substantial adverse effect on everyday activities, or a condition the medical profession treats as a chronic sickness. You do not need to be registered disabled or claiming any benefit, but you do need to sign a written eligibility declaration for each supplier.
Two things catch people out. A temporary condition, such as a broken leg, does not qualify. And being elderly is not, on its own, a qualifying condition.
The over-60s trap
There is a separate reduced rate of 5% VAT on mobility aids for people aged 60 or over. HMRC’s qualifying list is grab rails, ramps, stair lifts, bath lifts, built-in shower seats or showers containing them, and walk-in baths with sealable doors. Through-floor and passenger home lifts are not on that list.
So a 63-year-old with no qualifying condition pays 5% on a stairlift and the full 20% on a home lift. If you are buying to future-proof the house, with no existing need, budget for VAT at 20%.
| Your situation | VAT on a home lift | A £20,000 lift becomes |
|---|---|---|
| Chronically sick or disabled, lift in your own home, declaration signed | 0% | £20,000 |
| Aged over 60, no qualifying condition | 20% | £24,000 |
| Future-proofing, no current need | 20% | £24,000 |
| Lift for a rental property or a business | 20% | £24,000 |
Sort it out before you sign, not after
Zero-rating is applied by the supplier at the point of sale. HMRC is explicit that this is not a refund system and it cannot refund VAT to you afterwards, so the declaration has to be in place before the invoice is raised. Ask every quote three questions: is this figure inclusive or exclusive of VAT, will you zero-rate it, and what do you need from me to do that.
Grants are a separate matter and they are not a discount. A Disabled Facilities Grant is means-tested for adult applicants and must be approved before any work starts. Maximums are £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales and £35,000 in Northern Ireland, while Scotland has no fixed cap but councils must fund at least 80% of eligible costs. Our home lift grants guide covers eligibility in full.
General information, not tax advice. VAT eligibility is decided between you and your supplier. See HMRC guidance on VAT relief on building work for disabled people and VAT on mobility aids.
VAT is one of several quote errors that cost real money. See 12 quote mistakes that cost money.
Home lift running costs: servicing, electricity and repairs
Short answer (checked 30 October 2026): servicing is the main running cost of a home lift, and published UK prices run from £195 to £750 a year. Electricity is a small line. No home lift maker we read prints a consumption figure, and at the current Ofgem cap rate every 1 kWh a day costs about £96 a year. Out-of-warranty call-outs are published at £110 to £195 a visit.
The quote pays for the lift and the fitting. Owning it costs money every year after that, and most UK cost guides stop before they get there. These are the published figures and where each one comes from.
| Running cost | Published UK figure | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Annual service, one visit | £195 to about £350 a year | Maker and dealer prices, all listed in how much a home lift service costs |
| Service contract with extra visits or call-out cover | Up to £750 a year; heavy-use plans cost more | Cibes £350, £650 or £1,250 a year by daily use; SWIFT £550, £1,050 or £1,550; Gartec from £350 |
| Breakdown call-out out of warranty | £110 to £195 a visit | Obam £130 (£110 if paid on the day); 1st Choice from £195. See home lift problems and repair costs |
| Common repairs | £50 to £1,000 depending on the part | MyBuilder: batteries £50 to £100, door faults £100 to £300, control faults £150 to £400, wear parts £200 to £1,000 |
| Electricity | About £96 a year for each 1 kWh used a day | 26.32p per kWh, the GB average Direct Debit rate under the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. No maker publishes how many kWh its lift uses. |
| LOLER thorough examination | £0 if only your household uses the lift | HSE: LOLER applies only where people use the lift at work, such as paid carers, and then every six months. See home lift building regulations |
| Insurance | No published premium | Tell your home insurer the lift has been fitted |
What a home lift costs over ten years
Take the cheapest dated price for a new through-floor lift, £13,000 ex VAT, and add ten years of servicing and power. Prices are held flat. The electricity line assumes 1 kWh a day: that is our illustration, not a measured figure.
| Ten-year cost | Low case | High case |
|---|---|---|
| Lift, fitted | £13,000 (0% VAT relief) | £15,600 (20% VAT paid) |
| Servicing, ten years | £1,950 (£195 a year) | £7,500 (£750 a year) |
| Electricity, ten years | £961 | £961 |
| Total | £15,911 | £24,061 |
Over ten years, servicing alone adds between 15% and 58% to the price of a £13,000 through-floor lift. The service plan sets most of that gap, not the lift, so ask for the servicing price in writing with the quote. Repairs are left out because nobody publishes how often they happen. For monthly figures, see home lift finance.
Working: £13,000 × 1.2 = £15,600. 365 days × 26.32p = £96.07 a year, £961 over ten years. £1,950 ÷ £13,000 = 15%; £7,500 ÷ £13,000 = 58%.
Planning permission and building regulations for a home lift
Short answer: most home lifts need no planning permission, but every one has to meet building regulations. A lift fitted inside a house is an internal alteration, which is not development under section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Building regulations still cover the floor opening, the electrics and fire safety.
When you do need permission or consent
- Listed building: listed building consent is needed even for internal work.
- Conservation area: extra restrictions can apply, so check with the council.
- Work outside the house, such as an external shaft or enclosure: planning rules apply again.
- A flat or leasehold home: you will usually need the freeholder’s consent as well.
The detail is in our guides to planning permission for a home lift and listed buildings, flats and leasehold consent.
What building regulations cover
- Part A, structure: cutting a floor aperture for a through-floor lift is structural work, and the floor has to carry the lift and its users.
- Part B, fire safety: the lift must not weaken the fire protection between floors.
- Part P, electrical safety: the new circuit has to be fitted and certified by a competent electrician.
In England, work can start two days after a building notice is submitted, and a full plans application is decided within five weeks. Each council sets its own building control fees, so ask whether your quote includes the notification and the fee. Through-floor homelifts are built to BS 5900. More in home lift building regulations.
What Affects UK Home Lift Prices
The price of a home lift may be affected by the following variables:
Larger elevators often have a greater price.
The lift’s material can also affect the price.
The installation cost varies by lift type and degree of difficulty.
Types of Home Lifts and Their UK Prices
The main types and their typical prices:
Hydraulic Home Lift Cost
Hydraulic home lifts are popular for many homeowners due to their versatility and reliability. The cost of a hydraulic home lift will depend on the size of the lift, the options desired, and the installation costs.
Hydraulic home lift prices generally range from £22,000 to £50,000, with most standard installations falling between £23,000 and £28,000.
Non-Hydraulic Lifts
Non-hydraulic home lifts are more affordable, with through-floor and shaftless models typically starting from around £13,000. However, non-hydraulic lifts typically require more maintenance and may have a shorter lifespan than hydraulic lifts. However, this is not always the case.
Vacuum Home Lifts
Vacuum home lifts are energy-efficient that use air pressure to move the lift up and down.
The cost of a vacuum home lift will depend on the lift size, desired options, and installation costs. The lowest published price for a vacuum lift is £29,500, for a PVE model sold through PVE’s UK dealer Morgan Ellis (VAT basis not stated, checked 19 October 2026). Larger multi-stop installations can reach £45,000. For a full breakdown of costs by lift type, brand and number of floors, see our home lift cost breakdown.
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Home Lift Pricing FAQ: Common UK Cost Questions Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions about home lift prices and answers to help you better understand the costs involved.
How much does a home lift cost in the UK in 2026?
Published UK starting prices run from £13,000 ex VAT for a through-floor lift, £18,000 to £27,000 for a screw-driven shaft lift and £29,500 for a vacuum lift. Most installed prices fall between £13,000 and £40,000, and premium traction lifts reach £55,000. Our price tracker lists every published price with its source.
What is the cheapest type of home lift?
A rope-driven through-floor lift. The lowest dated new prices are £13,000 ex VAT (1st Choice, for the Stiltz Duo and Wessex VM) and £14,000 including VAT (My Mobility UK, Stiltz Duo+). Reconditioned home lifts start from around £8,000 installed.
What is the most expensive type of home lift?
A traction (cable) home elevator, at £25,000 to £55,000 installed. Hydraulic lifts start from £22,000 and reach £50,000.
How much does a home lift cost to run each year?
Servicing is the main cost: published UK prices run from £195 to £750 a year. Electricity is small. No maker prints a consumption figure, but at the Ofgem cap rate of 26.32p per kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026) every 1 kWh a day adds about £96 a year. Over ten years, servicing alone adds 15% to 58% to the price of a £13,000 through-floor lift. See the running costs in full.
How much does a home lift service cost?
One service visit a year is published from £195 to about £350. Contracts that add visits or call-out cover run up to £750 a year. Cibes, SWIFT and Gartec print their own prices, and none of them says whether VAT is included. Every published servicing price.
Do you pay VAT on a home lift?
Not if the lift is for someone with a long-term illness or disability and is fitted in their private home. The lift, the installation and its servicing are then zero-rated. It is not means-tested, and you sign a declaration for the supplier. Three makers tell over-60s about a 5% rate, but home lifts are not on the HMRC 5% list, so everyone else pays 20%. Most brands quote prices ex VAT. Check whether you qualify.
Do you need planning permission for a home lift?
Usually not. A lift inside a house is an internal alteration, which is not development under section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. You do need consent for a listed building (even for internal work) and for an external shaft, and in a flat you will usually need the freeholder’s consent. Conservation areas can add restrictions. Planning permission explained.
Do building regulations apply to a home lift?
Yes, in every case. Cutting the floor opening is structural work (Part A), the lift must not weaken the fire protection between floors (Part B) and the electrics must meet Part P. Your installer should notify building control and make sure the work is signed off. Building regulations for home lifts.
Are there grants for home lifts in the UK?
Yes. The Disabled Facilities Grant pays up to £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales and £35,000 in Northern Ireland. Scotland has no DFG: councils fund at least 80% of the eligible cost of essential adaptations, and up to 100% for people on certain benefits. Apply through your council. Home lift grants and funding.
Can you buy a home lift on finance?
Yes. Stiltz is the only home lift maker that publishes finance terms: £221.43 to £467.84 a month for an £18,950 Duo Classic, depending on the deposit and term. With a 10% deposit at 9.9% APR over six years, a £13,000 through-floor lift is about £214 a month. Monthly costs by lift type.
How long does it take to install a home lift?
Fitting a through-floor lift usually takes one to a few days once the floor opening has been cut. The wait from order is longer: Stiltz and Lifton say 6 to 8 weeks, and Uplifts 12 weeks. Survey to handover, step by step.
Does a home lift add value to a house?
There is no reliable UK figure. A lift may appeal to older buyers, while others may want it removed. The evidence on property value.
Not sure which lift suits your home? Use our free Home Lift Cost Calculator & Lift Type Finder to get a 2026 price estimate and the right lift type in under a minute. Check grants and funding or compare a stairlift vs a home lift.
UK Home Lift Brand Comparison (2026 Prices)
Starting prices, reconciled against each brand’s own review page. For what every manufacturer, dealer and directory in the UK actually publishes, with sources, see the home lift price tracker.
| Brand | HQ | Our installed estimate, from | What the brand publishes | Speciality | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stiltz | Kingswinford, UK | £13,000 | From £17,000 ex VAT | Through-floor cabin lifts | Best all-round compact choice |
| Terry Lifts | Knutsford, UK | £14,000 | No price published | Through-floor lifts | Value for money, quick install |
| Stannah | Andover, UK | £15,000 | From £15,000, VAT basis not stated | Platform & through-floor lifts | Brand trust, nationwide service |
| Lifton | Kingswinford, UK | £16,000 | From £18,000 plus VAT | Premium through-floor cabin lifts | Stiltz tech, upgraded finish |
| SWIFT | UK-wide | Not published | No price we could verify | Through-floor & cabin lifts | Mid-range, good variety |
| Wessex | Southern England | £13,000 | No price published | Through-floor & platform lifts | Wheelchair access, DFG funding |
| Cibes | Sweden (UK dealers) | £18,000 | From £18,000 (A4000) ex VAT | Self-supporting platform lifts | Retrofit, minimal building work |
| Aritco | Sweden (UK dealers) | £19,000 | £22,000, VAT basis not stated | Premium design lifts | Luxury, Scandinavian design |
| Companion | Leeds, UK | £16,500 | £14,000 to £19,000 ex VAT | Through-floor cabin lifts (Savaria & UK-built) | Service-led, 24/7 support |
Every UK home lift brand that publishes both a price and its VAT basis publishes it excluding VAT, and dealer prices commonly sit below the manufacturer list price. How VAT works on a home lift.