Texture
A stairlift must definitely suit the physical constitution of the user: a stairlift is the right solution for people with mobility difficulties. Wheelchair users, on the other hand, often need a platform lift. The entire system must work without external assistance and must also be equipped with an emergency alarm and a self-activating emergency lowering system.
Allowance for those in need of care
For people in need of care, the care insurance fund can contribute to the installation costs and grant a subsidy of up to 4,000 euros. Since this is a structural change, the subsidy is granted as part of measures to improve the living environment.
The prerequisite for the subsidy from the care insurance fund is that the need for care at care levels 1 to 5 is recognized. Information on who needs care under long-term care insurance and how the level of care is determined can be found here. Furthermore, the installation of the stairlift should enable or significantly facilitate home care or restore the person in need of care to lead as independent a life as possible. For example, if a person in need of care previously had to be supported by a carer when climbing stairs and could climb the stairs alone again with a stairlift, this would make care considerably easier and their independent lifestyle would be restored.
If a measure improves the shared living environment of several people in need of care living together in one apartment, each person in need of care can in principle receive a maximum subsidy of EUR 4,000. The total amount is limited to EUR 16,000. If more than four people in need of care live together in the same apartment, the costs will be divided proportionally between the respective care funds.
If people in need of care have already received a subsidy for measures to improve the living environment in the past, for example for the installation of a walk-in shower, it must be checked on a case-by-case basis whether they are entitled to the subsidy again. This is the case if there has been a change in the care situation in the meantime, which now requires the installation of a stairlift.
Our tip: Submit the cost estimate to your care insurance company before the renovation work. You should only start the renovation after the application has been approved. Otherwise, you could be stuck with the costs. The social welfare office intervenes if no other provider is responsible and there are no funds available. In the event of an accident at work or in traffic, professional associations or civil liability insurance may be required to pay.
Additional Financial Assistance for People Without a Nursing Degree
For tenants (with the landlord’s consent) and homeowners: the state offers Credit Union for Reconstruction (KfW) a grant or a low-cost loan to help break down barriers within your own four walls. Special construction loans are also available for people with severe disabilities. Important here too: you must wait for KfW to approve the financial injection before you start building or making any adjustments.
KfW funding is no to be combined with the support of the nursing care insurance fund.
Federal states and municipalities also offer special financial support programs. We recommend that you obtain advice tailored to your individual situation locally. The responsible district office or the citizens’ office in your city can provide information. The same applies here: measures that have already been initiated should not be supported.
The cost of a stairlift can also be reduced based on taxable income. This can result in savings of up to 40% on costs. You can find out more about this at your local tax office.
Cost comparison
To ensure that costs and effort do not get out of hand, you should obtain several offers during the planning phase and carefully compare the individual items with each other. Because the price differences are enormous: Depending on the effort involved – such as the travel and length of the stairs – installing a stairlift can cost between 3,500 and around 15,000 euros. The large price differences are due to different technical solutions. But the price of the same model can also vary significantly. In addition, there are annual maintenance and service costs of 200 to 300 euros.
To save money, it is worth clicking on a resource exchange on the Internet. However, when buying second-hand, it is important to note that the rails are usually custom-made and therefore must be purchased new. There should also be a repair and maintenance service nearby.
Examination and approval
When installing elevator systems, the applicable building regulations in the respective federal state must be observed. The stairlift company must inform customers about the respective testing and approval procedures and – if necessary – obtain all approvals. Customers will only have to pay the required amount for the entire installation once all necessary documents, such as a test certificate, have been submitted and no defects have occurred during operation of the elevator. Defects in the product and assembly can be reported to the supplier free of charge for two years.