Last reviewed: 2 May 2026.
UK military veterans, currently-serving personnel, and their immediate families have access to a separate set of charities and statutory schemes that frequently fund stairlifts in full. The Disabled Facilities Grant rules apply on top, not instead, so a veteran can typically stack military funding with the council DFG. This page covers the major routes, who qualifies, how to apply, and how to combine them with civilian funding.
You do not need a service-attributable injury to access most of these schemes. Anyone who has served at least one day in the regular armed forces, or been on the reserves for a qualifying period, is usually eligible to apply. Spouses, civil partners and dependents are eligible under most schemes too.
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) is the UK’s oldest armed forces charity and the most likely first stop for stairlift help. They make grants towards mobility equipment for veterans and their families through their casework service. A volunteer caseworker visits your home, builds your case, and submits to grant-giving charities (often as a stack) on your behalf. Stairlifts are a common request and are frequently funded in full, sometimes faster than the DFG would deliver.
Apply by phone or via their online form (ssafa.org.uk). Eligibility: served at least one day in the regular forces, or six years in the reserves, or you are a spouse/dependent of someone who did.
Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion (RBL) makes grants towards adaptations including stairlifts through their Welfare Department. They also fund their own home-adaptation projects through Battle Back Centre alumni networks for veterans wounded in service. RBL grants are typically £500 to £3,000 and can stack with SSAFA and council funding.
Apply through the Legion’s contact centre (0808 802 8080) or through a SSAFA caseworker who can route requests on your behalf. Eligibility is similar to SSAFA: served personnel and their dependents.
Veterans UK / Office for Veterans’ Affairs
Veterans UK is the government department (within the Ministry of Defence) that administers the War Pension Scheme and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. If your need for a stairlift is connected to a service-related injury or illness, you may be eligible for a War Pension, which then unlocks separate funding routes (including capital grants towards adaptations) that civilians cannot access.
Apply through gov.uk/veterans-uk. The process is slower than the charity routes (six months plus is typical) but the funding can be substantial and ongoing.
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes works with younger veterans (post-1997 service is the typical cut-off) who have been physically or psychologically injured. They run a Recovery Capability Programme that includes home-adaptation grants. Stairlifts are funded where the OT report supports the request.
Apply via helpforheroes.org.uk; they will assess service eligibility and work with the veteran on a tailored support plan. Particularly worth considering for veterans recently medically discharged.
The Armed Forces Covenant
The Armed Forces Covenant is not a charity; it is a commitment from public bodies (including local councils) and many private organisations to ensure veterans are not disadvantaged by their service. In practice, this means:
- Some councils give priority on the DFG queue to veterans (ask the housing team).
- Some councils maintain a discretionary fund specifically for veterans where the DFG falls short.
- NHS trusts may fast-track OT assessments for veterans flagged at GP registration.
When applying for a DFG, mention service history at the OT visit. It does not change the means test, but it sometimes changes timing.
Branch and regimental charities
Beyond the major national charities, most regiments and naval associations maintain their own welfare funds. Examples: the Royal Air Forces Association, the Soldiers’ Charity (formerly ABF), Combat Stress (mental-health-led but adjacent), the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust. SSAFA caseworkers are usually familiar with these and will know which to apply to. Independent applications direct to a regimental fund usually need a SSAFA or RBL letter to support them.
How to combine with the civilian DFG
A typical funded stairlift for a veteran in the UK in 2026 might look like:
- Council DFG (means-tested adult contribution): £3,500 of £5,500 quoted curved stairlift.
- Veteran shortfall: £2,000.
- SSAFA + RBL stacked grant: covers £1,500.
- Independence at Home or condition-specific charity: £500.
- Net cost to veteran: £0.
See our general charities page for the civilian top-up routes and our DFG shortfall guide for how the stacking works.
How to apply: step by step
Most veterans use the SSAFA-led route because the caseworker handles the paperwork:
- Phone SSAFA on 0800 731 4880 or apply via ssafa.org.uk to be allocated a caseworker.
- Caseworker visits, gathers service records, financial situation, and OT recommendation if you have one.
- Caseworker submits to multiple grant-giving charities simultaneously on your behalf.
- Decisions in two to six weeks; funding paid directly to the stairlift installer.
- Council DFG runs in parallel; the caseworker can liaise with the council if needed.
Spouses, partners and bereaved families
All the major military charities support spouses, civil partners, and dependent children for the lifetime of the relationship and continue to support widows and widowers. If you are caring for a parent or partner who served and you are arranging the stairlift on their behalf, you can apply through their service record; the veteran does not have to be the lead applicant.
Cross-links
- UK stairlift grants overview
- Civilian charities that help with stairlifts
- What to do when the DFG falls short
- Country-specific DFG rules
Stairlift Costs UK is a civilian site. We have no commercial relationship with SSAFA, RBL, Veterans UK or any of the regimental funds and we earn no commission on charity referrals. We do earn commission on partner stairlift suppliers when a sale completes. See our full disclosure.
Pricing information
Unless stated otherwise, prices shown are fully installed prices for a standard staircase. Complex installations may carry additional charges.
Stairlifts installed for a disabled person may qualify for zero-rate VAT under HMRC Notice 701/7. Your supplier will confirm VAT eligibility at the point of quotation.
Our price ranges are compiled from supplier rate cards, published dealer price lists, and real quotes shared by homeowners. They are intended as a general guide, not a firm quotation.
Prices last reviewed: May 2026