Who is the best stairlift company in the UK?

There is no single best company for everyone, and we don't publish scores we can't evidence. National manufacturers such as Acorn and Stannah survey, fit and support the lift themselves. Handicare and Brooks products often reach customers through dealers and partners. Local installers can be cheaper and quicker on straight stairs. Judge on the written quote, the warranty and who attends a breakdown.

Should I buy from a national company or a local installer?

National companies offer nationwide coverage, one contract and a consistent servicing arrangement. Local installers can be competitive on price and lead time, particularly for straight or reconditioned lifts, but check how long they have traded and who covers you if they stop. Get both types of quote if you can.

Which stairlift company installs fastest?

Acorn advertises next-day installation availability on straight stairlifts, which is availability rather than a guarantee. Curved stairlifts take longer with every company because the rail has to be measured and manufactured for your staircase.

Which stairlift company is cheapest?

No company is reliably cheapest on every staircase, because the rail, the bends and the options drive the price. Reconditioned straight lifts are usually the lowest-cost route. Compare total fitted prices for your own stairs rather than headline figures.

Are Brooks and Acorn the same company?

Brooks stairlifts are part of the same group as Acorn, and the two share technology, which is why troubleshooting steps are similar. They are marketed as separate brands, so confirm with the supplier which brand and which servicing arrangement your contract covers.

What warranty should a stairlift company offer?

Acorn currently states a 12-month manufacturer's guarantee and Stannah currently advertises a standard two-year warranty on new stairlifts. Warranty terms for dealer-supplied brands vary. Ask for the length, what is covered, whether call-outs and parts are included, and the service plan cost afterwards.

How do I check a stairlift company is legitimate?

Look for a registered company address and number, membership of a recognised trade body such as the British Healthcare Trades Association, a written itemised quote, a clear cancellation right on in-home sales, and a servicing arrangement you can read before you sign.

Do stairlift companies charge for a survey?

Reputable companies survey and quote free of charge with no obligation, and Acorn does. If a company wants a fee before it has measured your stairs, treat that as a warning sign.

How many quotes should I get?

At least two, and three if the staircase is curved. Curved quotes vary most, because each rail is bespoke. Compare the total fitted price, the warranty and the aftercare together, not the headline figure alone.

Best Stairlift Companies UK 2026: Acorn, Stannah, Handicare, Brooks

Choosing a stairlift is mostly about choosing a company: who measures the stairs, who fits the lift, who answers the phone in two years' time. This guide compares the main UK options on the things that actually differ.

Quick answer: the main national names are Acorn, Stannah, Handicare, Brooks and Access BDD, alongside a large number of independent local installers. Acorn and Stannah manufacture and fit direct. Handicare and Brooks products frequently reach customers through dealers and partners. Local installers can be strong on straight and reconditioned lifts. There is no league table here, because we have no reliability data of our own.

How we make money: UK Mobility Stairlifts is an affiliate of Acorn Stairlifts. Enquiries made through this website go to Acorn, and if you buy we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. That is exactly why this page does not score companies or claim Acorn is best — we would not expect you to believe it. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

The companies at a glance

Company	Buying route	Range	Notable positioning	Warranty position
Acorn	Direct from the manufacturer	130 Straight, 180 Curved, 130 Outdoor	Small, simple range; nationwide coverage; fast installation availability on straight lifts	States a 12-month manufacturer's guarantee
Stannah	Direct from the manufacturer	Broad model and styling range, straight, curved and outdoor	Widest choice of seats, finishes and models; UK manufacturing heritage	Currently advertises a standard two-year warranty on new lifts
Handicare	Often via dealers and partners	Wide straight and curved options, specialist configurations	Configuration choice; strong curved offering	Varies by product and supplying dealer — ask in writing
Brooks	Via the group's channels and partners	Straight and curved	Part of the same group as Acorn; shared technology	Confirm with the supplier
Access BDD	Approved dealer network	HomeGlide, HomeGlide Extra, HomeGlide Outdoor, Flow X	Technical positioning; narrow-stair and higher-capacity options	Varies by dealer
Local installers	Independent, often regional	Usually straight, new and reconditioned	Price and lead time on simple staircases	Varies widely — check trading history

We do not publish star ratings. Which? runs a member survey covering Acorn, Handicare, Stannah and TKE/Access BDD, but those scores sit behind its membership and we will not reproduce numbers we have not verified.

Manufacturer, dealer or local installer?

Buying direct from a manufacturer means one company surveys, installs, services and repairs the lift. There is one contract and one number to call. Acorn and Stannah both work this way.

Buying through a dealer can widen the brand choice locally and sometimes shortens the distance to an engineer. The catch is that the installer and the manufacturer may be different businesses — ask who holds the contract, who honours the warranty and who attends a breakdown.

Buying from a local installer is often the cheapest route for a straight or reconditioned lift, and can be the fastest. The risk is longevity: if the firm stops trading, servicing and parts become your problem. Ask how long they have traded and whether they service brands other than the one they sold you.

What separates a good company from a poor one

The machine is rarely the problem. What goes wrong is usually the sales visit, the fitting or the aftercare. Judge on:

A free, unhurried survey — nobody can price a stairlift over the phone.
A written, itemised quote — total fitted price, options listed separately, VAT treatment shown.
No pressure to sign today — "today only" discounts are a sales technique, not a price.
Clear warranty terms — length, what is covered, whether call-outs and parts are included.
A published service plan cost — you need to know what year three looks like.
A breakdown commitment — who attends, how quickly, and at what cost outside the warranty.
Removal and buy-back terms — stairlifts are often needed for a defined period.
Recognised trade body membership, such as the British Healthcare Trades Association.

More on this: questions to ask before you buy and warranty and aftercare.

Which company suits which situation?

Your situation	Worth getting a quote from
Straight stairs, want it fitted quickly	Acorn; local installers
Curved staircase with bends or a half-landing	Acorn, Stannah, Handicare, Access BDD — get three quotes
Want the widest choice of seats and finishes	Stannah
Narrow staircase where others must pass	Any, but the survey decides — Access BDD publishes a 610mm minimum for Flow X
Outdoor steps	Acorn, Stannah, Handicare, Access BDD
Keeping cost as low as possible	Reconditioned straight lifts; local installers; national reconditioned stock
Short-term need, e.g. after surgery	Rental — see renting a stairlift

How to compare quotes fairly

Get the same staircase quoted by each company, ideally within a fortnight.
Compare the total fitted price, not the headline "from" figure.
Check the VAT treatment — eligible buyers should pay none. See VAT relief.
Compare the warranty and the service plan cost side by side.
Ask each company for the installation lead time in writing.
For curved stairs, ask how the rail is measured and how long manufacturing takes.

Typical UK figures to budget against are in our stairlift costs guide: roughly from £2,000 for a straight lift and from £5,000 for a curved one, fully fitted.

Getting an Acorn quote through us

We can pass your details to Acorn Stairlifts for a free, no-obligation home survey and a written fitted price. That is the only company we work with, and we would still encourage you to get a second quote elsewhere before you commit.

Get a free Acorn stairlift quote

Related guides

Where to go next: stairlift costs · types of stairlift · Acorn vs Stannah · get a free quote

Best Stairlift Companies in the UK