How to get financial help to purchase a stairlift in France

There are several ways of getting financial help to purchase a stairlift, which can cost from around €2,500 for a straight rail but from around €5,000 when curves are involved.

For anyone taxed in France, tax credits for 25% of the cost are available when the installation is to make mobility easier for a disabled or elderly person in their main home.

A ceiling of €5,000 for a single person, €10,000 for a couple and a reduced VAT rate of 5.5% for stairlifts for an elderly or disabled person exist and there are also income-assessed grants.

Under the Habiter Facile scheme, which gives grants to help people stay in their own homes, the public organisation Agence Nationale de l’Habitat pays 50% of the cost, excluding tax, for people on low incomes up to €10,000 and 35% for modest incomes, up to €7,000 maximum.

First, apply online and check if you are eligible by entering your numéro fiscal and reference d’avis. The building must be more than 15 years old. For over-60s who can no longer live independently without day-to-day help, there is the allocation personnalisée d’autonomie (APA) benefit.

The family allowance body Caf also gives grants. For those aged 20-60 with a disability, they or the family member they live with can apply for a grant from the Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées (MDPH). Ask at your mairie or conseil departemental.

Related stories

Famileo: The ‘newspaper’ that keeps families in touch