Step Lift for Home
A step lift raises a wheelchair user over a short rise at home — doors, garages, split levels. Where they help, how to choose, costs and funding.
What is a step lift?
A step lift is an open vertical platform that rises a short distance — typically up to around 3 metres — carrying a wheelchair user straight up over a step or short flight. It's sometimes called a short-rise platform lift. The user drives onto the platform, closes the gate, and hold-to-run controls raise them to the higher level. It differs from a stairlift, which carries a seated user who has transferred out of their wheelchair, and from a home lift, which travels a full storey between floors.
Where a step lift helps in the home
Location | The problem it solves |
|---|---|
Front or back entrance | Steps up to the door that a ramp can't practically clear |
Integral garage | The step up from a garage that sits below the living floor |
Split-level floors | A short internal level change between rooms |
Garden or terrace | Access down to a patio or raised outdoor space |
Raised or sunken property | A home set a little above or below the approach |
Where the barrier is a full staircase rather than a short rise, an inclined platform lift usually suits better — see our wheelchair lift for outside stairs guide.
Indoor or outdoor
Step lifts work in both settings, and most homes need one or the other clearly. Indoors, the priority is a clean fit and easy access. Outdoors, specification matters more, because the lift lives with the weather.
Indoor step lift | Outdoor step lift | |
|---|---|---|
Finish | Standard | Weatherproof, corrosion-resistant |
Drainage | Not needed | Needed if there's a pit |
Controls | Standard | Weather-rated |
Typical spot | Split levels, hallways | Entrances, gardens, garages |
Step lifts for the home: two examples
The Opal step lift is a common domestic choice — an open platform for indoor or outdoor use, with platform sizes up to 1125 × 1519 mm and a 340kg capacity, enough for a powered wheelchair and an accompanying person.
Where the need is temporary or you'd rather avoid a fixed installation, the Echo Go is a portable step lift — wheeled into place, plugged in to charge, and moved on when it's no longer needed. It's a good fit for short-term access, such as recovery from surgery, or a rented home.
Wondering if a step lift suits your home?
Tell us about the step or level change and we'll match you with vetted installers who can survey it and recommend the right lift — free to you, with no obligation.
→ Enquire about a step lift
Choosing a step lift: what to consider
The rise. Measure the vertical height from the lower level to the upper — it determines the lift.
Indoor or outdoor. Outdoor installations need weatherproofing and drainage.
The wheelchair. Platform size and capacity must suit the chair — a powered chair needs more room and weight allowance. Our wheelchair platform lift for home guide covers sizing.
Access on and off. Straight-through access lets the user drive on and off without turning — easiest for a wheelchair.
Independent use. A power door opener and reachable controls let many users travel without help.
Ramp or pit. A floor-mounted lift with a ramp avoids excavation; a shallow pit gives a flush finish.
What a step lift for the home costs
Type | From (installed) | Main cost drivers |
|---|---|---|
Step lift | £6,389 | Rise, platform size, indoor/outdoor, ramp or pit, options |
A starting price for supply and installation; a survey prices the specifics. For pricing across the whole range, see our disabled platform lifts prices guide, and for the full domestic picture, our platform lifts for home and domestic platform lifts guides.
Arrange a survey
You can't reliably choose a step lift from a website — it depends on the rise, the setting and the wheelchair. A survey settles it, free and with no obligation. Tell us about your step or level change and we'll match you with vetted installers who cover your area. Installers pay us only when we refer a genuine enquiry, so our interest is in matching you well, not in selling a particular lift.
→ Get matched with vetted installers
What is a step lift for the home? A step lift is an open vertical platform that raises a wheelchair user over a short rise at home — up to around 3 metres — without them leaving their chair. It suits steps at a door, the level change into a garage, split-level floors, or access to a garden.
How much does a step lift for the home cost? Step lifts start from around £6,389 installed. The final price depends on the rise, the platform size, whether it's indoor or outdoor, and whether a ramp or a pit is used.
Can a step lift be used outdoors? Yes. Step lifts are available in weatherproof outdoor specifications, with corrosion-resistant finishes, weather-rated controls and drainage where there's a pit. The same lift can serve an entrance, garden or garage.
How much space does a step lift need? Enough for the platform plus access on and off. Platforms range up to around 1125 x 1519 mm for a larger powered wheelchair. A floor-mounted lift with a ramp needs no excavation; a shallow pit gives a flush entry.
Is a step lift the same as a stairlift? No. A stairlift carries a seated user who has transferred out of their wheelchair. A step lift keeps the user in their wheelchair and raises them straight up over a short rise.
Can I get funding for a step lift? You may be eligible, but it's not guaranteed. The Disabled Facilities Grant is means tested for most adults, so income and savings are assessed and not everyone qualifies (children are exempt). A step lift for a disabled person in a private home may also be zero-rated for VAT, subject to a declaration.
