Many people who need a stairlift may wonder how they can pay for one, but there are often funds available that you can access via grants from central and local government.
The extent to which this can happen may depend on individual local authorities, however. A good example of this is Plymouth, where, AT Today reports, the city council has committed to spending just over £3 million on making home improvements to the homes of disabled people in the city via the Disabled Facilities Grant.
Stairlifts will be among the installations paid for by this money, along with changes like modifications to improve wheelchair access, ramps, and accessible bathrooms.
This may prompt those living in the West Midlands to wonder if the same will happen here. To put matters in perspective, at the 2021 Census Plymouth recorded a population of 264,000, which is about 1,000 more than Wolverhampton and 20,000 less than Walsall.
Given Birmingham recorded a population of 1,144,000 at the census, the equivalent funding to that committed in Plymouth would be more than £13 million.
It may be asked whether that can happen in Birmingham, in view of the city council’s recent well-documented financial problems. This included the need to make £250 million of cuts in the 12 months from September 2023. However, as this period is nearly up, now might be a good time to make an application.
Despite the cuts, the council is still advertising the existence of the Disabled Facilities Grant, although it emphasised that due to high demand, it can only be given to those “in the most need”.
Of course, if you live just outside Birmingham in another West Midlands authority, the situation may be easier. Not every council can make a public commitment the way Plymouth has, but it is important to know that help is available. It could make the difference to whether or not you have the funds to pay for a stairlift in your home.
