Stairlift Grants and Financial Help (U.S.)

There is no single national stairlift grant in the U.S. Help comes from a handful of programs, and which ones fit depends on who you are. The main groups are veterans, people eligible for Medicaid, rural homeowners 62 or older with very low income, and older adults whose local aging agency or a nonprofit funds home changes.

Programs that can help pay, at a glance

Program	Who qualifies	What it can pay	Where to apply
VA housing grants (SAH/SHA) and HISA	Veterans and service members (HISA); veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities (SAH/SHA) [1][2]	HISA: up to $6,800 lifetime ($2,000 in some cases), but it excludes stair glides. SAH/SHA: larger grants to buy, build or change a home [1][2]	VA.gov (SAH/SHA); your local VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (HISA)
Medicaid HCBS waivers	Medicaid-eligible people a state targets, often those at risk of needing nursing-home care [4]	May help pay for a stairlift in states that include it [3]	Your state Medicaid office or waiver case manager
Medicare	Not applicable	Original Medicare does not pay for stairlifts [3]	Not applicable
USDA Section 504 Home Repair	Rural owner-occupants with very low income; grants only for age 62+ [6]	Grants up to $10,000 lifetime; loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years [5][6][7]	Local USDA Rural Development office
State assistive technology (AT Act) programs	People with disabilities; rules vary by state [8]	Low-interest loans to buy equipment in many states, plus used equipment at reduced cost [3][8][9]	AT3 Center state directory
Older Americans Act services	Adults 60 and older [11]	Varies; can include adapting homes for people with physical disabilities [10]	Area Agency on Aging via eldercare.acl.gov or 1-800-677-1116 [12]
Nonprofit repair programs	Mostly low-income older homeowners; set by each affiliate [13][14]	Ramps, rails and grab bars (no cost through Rebuilding Together); stairlifts not listed [13][14]	Local Rebuilding Together or Habitat for Humanity affiliate
Manufacturer or dealer financing	Buyers, on the lender's terms	A loan, not a grant; some offer promotional interest-free periods [3]	The dealer
Medical expense tax deduction	Taxpayers who itemize, with medical costs over 7.5% of AGI [15]	A deduction, not cash; a lift can count in full [15]	Your tax return (Schedule A)

VA, Medicaid and Medicare in brief

Veterans. The VA's most common home grant, HISA, does not pay for a stairlift: it lists "stair glides" as excluded removable equipment [1]. The larger SAH and SHA grants help veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities buy, build or change a home [2], so ask the VA whether a stairlift can be part of your plan. Our VA stairlift grant guide covers amounts and how to apply.

Medicaid. Medicaid help for a stairlift usually comes through a state Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver, not regular coverage. NCOA says many state waivers offer financial support for stair lifts, but coverage varies by state [3]. Each state also chooses who a waiver serves and how many people it enrolls [4]. See does Medicaid cover stairlifts?

Medicare. Original Medicare does not pay for stairlifts, because they are not classed as durable medical equipment under Part B [3]. Our Medicare and stairlift cost guide explains the rare Medicare Advantage exceptions.

USDA Section 504 home repair grants

If you own and live in a home in a rural area, are 62 or older and have very low income, a USDA Section 504 grant can pay up to $10,000 over your lifetime [5][6][7].

The money can only go toward removing health and safety hazards or making the home accessible for a household member with a disability, which can include special equipment needed because of a physical disability [6]. Homeowners who can afford repayments, including those under 62, may get a loan of up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years instead [5][6][7]. A grant must be repaid if you sell within 3 years [6]. Ask your local Rural Development office whether your address counts as rural.

State assistive technology programs

Every state and territory has a federally funded assistive technology program, and many offer loans that spread out the cost [3][8].

These programs also run reuse services that pass on used equipment at a substantial saving [8]. Terms differ by state, so ask whether a stairlift counts. Find yours in the AT3 Center directory, which lists a financial loan contact for many states [9], or see our state-by-state guide for local waiver, AT and aging contacts.

Area Agencies on Aging

Your local Area Agency on Aging is a good first call. The Older Americans Act lets these agencies fund services that adapt homes for adults 60 and older with physical disabilities [10][11], and NCOA notes they may know of local grants and loans for home changes [3]. Find yours at eldercare.acl.gov or 1-800-677-1116 [12], and ask whether there is a waiting list.

Nonprofit repair programs

Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity help older homeowners through local affiliates, but neither lists stairlifts among its usual projects. Rebuilding Together's Safe at Home program offers no-cost grab bars, handrails and entry ramps [13]. Habitat's Aging in Place work generally serves low-income homeowners, typically in their early to mid-60s and older [14].

Manufacturer and dealer financing

Dealer financing is a loan, not a grant: you repay the full price, sometimes with interest. Some companies offer promotional interest-free financing [3], so check when that rate ends and what you will repay in total.

The medical expense tax deduction

A stairlift can count as a medical expense, but it only helps if you itemize and your medical costs pass 7.5% of your adjusted gross income [15]. IRS Publication 502 lists "porch lifts and other forms of lifts" among home changes that don't usually add value to a home, so their cost can be included in full [15]. A tax professional can confirm your case.

How to apply: a simple order to try

1. Get a written quote that separates equipment and installation. Some programs also want a clinician's note on why the lift is needed.
2. Veterans: start with the VA. Ask your Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service what HISA covers, and apply for SAH or SHA on VA.gov (VA Form 26-4555).
3. Call your Area Agency on Aging (1-800-677-1116) about local home-modification money, your state's Medicaid waiver and nearby nonprofits.
4. Rural homeowners 62 and older: contact USDA Rural Development about a Section 504 grant.
5. If you must borrow, try your state AT program before dealer financing.
6. Don't buy until a program approves you in writing. Keep every receipt for your taxes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a free stairlift?

Rarely. No program gives out free stairlifts as a rule. The closest routes are a state Medicaid waiver, if you qualify [3], and VA housing grants for eligible veterans [2]. A USDA Section 504 grant of up to $10,000 for rural homeowners 62 and older with very low income [5][6] is large enough to pay for a typical straight stairlift ($2,500–$8,000 installed) if USDA approves the lift as an accessibility repair, but usually not a curved one ($10,000–$20,000). Nonprofit repair programs don't list stairlifts among their usual projects, though you can ask your local affiliate [13].

Is there a stairlift grant just for seniors?

No program pays for a stairlift based on age alone. Older adults most often find help through an Area Agency on Aging (60 and older) [11], a USDA Section 504 grant (rural, 62 and older, very low income) [6], a Medicaid waiver or a nonprofit, each with its own income or need rules.

Do I have to pay back a stairlift grant?

Usually not, but a USDA Section 504 grant must be repaid in full if you sell the home within 3 years of signing the grant agreement [6]. Financing from a state assistive technology program is a loan, and so is dealer financing, so you repay those.

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Want to estimate your range in under a minute? Try the free stairlift cost calculator.

Sources

1. VA — Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant (lifetime amounts; "porch lifts, and stair glides" excluded): https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/psas/HISA2.asp
2. VA.gov — Disability housing grants for Veterans (SAH and SHA eligibility and uses): https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/disability-housing-grants/
3. NCOA — Does Medicare Cover Stair Lifts? (Medicare, HCBS waivers, AT programs, area agencies, financing): https://www.ncoa.org/article/medicare-and-stair-lifts/
4. Medicaid.gov — Home & Community-Based Services 1915(c) waivers (targeting and enrollment limits): https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/home-community-based-services/home-community-based-services-authorities/home-community-based-services-1915c
5. USDA Rural Development — Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants (Section 504): https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/single-family-housing-repair-loans-grants
6. eCFR — 7 CFR part 3550, subpart C (Section 504 purposes, eligibility and age 62, rural areas, 1% rate and 20-year term, 3-year grant repayment): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XXXV/part-3550/subpart-C
7. Federal Register — Direct Single Family Housing Loans and Grants Programs, final rule, Feb. 7, 2022 ($40,000 loan and $10,000 grant limits): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/07/2022-02470/direct-single-family-housing-loans-and-grants-programs
8. AT3 Center — AT Act Information (56 state and territory programs; state financing and reuse): https://at3center.net/at-act-information/
9. AT3 Center — AT Act Programs state directory: https://at3center.net/state-at-programs/
10. U.S. Code — 42 U.S.C. 3030d(a)(4), Older Americans Act supportive services (adapting homes for older individuals with physical disabilities): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap35-subchapIII-partB-sec3030d.htm
11. U.S. Code — 42 U.S.C. 3002(40), Older Americans Act definition of "older individual" (60 or older): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap35-subchapI-sec3002.htm
12. ACL — Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116): https://eldercare.acl.gov/
13. Rebuilding Together — Safe at Home (no-cost home modifications): https://rebuildingtogether.org/safe-at-home
14. Habitat for Humanity — Aging in Place FAQ (eligibility and typical repairs): https://www.habitat.org/our-work/aging-in-place/faq
15. IRS — Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses (Capital Expenses; 7.5% of AGI; Schedule A): https://www.irs.gov/publications/p502