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Making structural changes to your home can make your life easier when you become disabled or elderly. You can get help with the costs from the care insurance in the form of grants. You can use the grants to buy a stair lift as well as for various remodeling measures.

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The Care Level Grant is provided by care insurance to help cover the cost of changes to your home that you may need to make if you become disabled or have reduced mobility. The grant can cover a number of different structural changes, including creating ramps, lighting or heating system changes, and installing stair lifts. Grants can cover part or all of the cost of a stairlift.

Amount of the stairlift grant

The subsidy of the health insurance amounts up to 4,000 € per measure, whereby different individual measures are counted as ONE measure in the sense of the legislator. If there are two people in the household with care degree can be applied for up to 8,000 €, with the same acquisition object. All changes in the living environment, which would be or are necessary at the time of the approval, are counted as ONE measure, where the center of life of the applicant is located. Only if the applicant’s state of health or care situation changes and further remodeling measures become necessary, will these be counted as a “new measure” within the meaning of §40 Para. 4 SGB XI. Pf counted.

If you do not claim the full amount for a measure, the remainder does not expire but can still be used for other remodeling measures. The amount of the subsidy, depends on the cost of the purchase or the cost of the remodeling measure you are having done. In the past, people in need of care with a monthly income, e.g. from renting or leasing, had to pay a personal contribution of at least 10% of the eligible amount, but no more than 50% of the gross monthly income. The personal contribution is not required if the applicant has received unemployment benefit 2 or basic income support in the event of reduced earning capacity in accordance with SGB 2. Since January 1, 2013, the personal contribution has been completely abolished.

As a rule, you must submit two different cost estimates from different providers to the care insurance fund to ensure that you do not pay too much. It is important to apply for the subsidy before the construction measure is realized, as proving the necessity of a measure retroactively is difficult. However, you can try to apply for a grant retroactively as well and you will need to submit your existing invoices to do so.

If you receive a grant that does not cover the entire cost of the remodeling measure, you can also obtain information about further subsidies from the social welfare office. If the subsidies for improving the living environment are not sufficient to cover the costs, you may be able to apply for further benefits within the framework of integration assistance for people with disabilities via your local social welfare office. You will only receive a subsidy from the social welfare office if your income does not exceed a certain limit according to § 85 SGB XII.

Requirements and eligibility for grants

A stairlift subsidy is only available to households where there is someone with a level of care (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5). This could be you or someone who lives with you. If you rent a property, you can apply for grants to install a stairlift on behalf of a tenant. To get a grant for a property you own or rent, you must apply to your health insurance or care insurance company. If you move shortly after installation, you may have to repay the grant money. Please check with your care insurance company for deadlines.

For classification into a care degree, the degree of remaining independence is determined by an independent assessor with the help of a questionnaire. If you do not yet have a care degree, you can apply for one in parallel with the care allowance. If you are dependent on support and home care due to a physical, mental or psychological illness, you are entitled to a care degree. This also applies if you are cared for by relatives and family members. Home care includes work activities such as daily personal hygiene or nutrition, but also mobility. People in need of care who submit an application for care benefits to their health insurance company are classified by an authorized assessor with the help of the Assessment of Need for Care (NBA).

When you apply for a subsidy from the health insurance company, they must agree that the changes to your home, are necessary, appropriate and suitable for your needs. The state-subsidized measures are intended to facilitate home care in the personal living environment and serve this purpose. This criterion therefore plays a major role in assessing the necessity and appropriateness of a conversion measure. The goal is to convert the applicant’s home to be barrier-free and age-appropriate.

You must contact your health insurance fund or care insurance fund before starting the conversion measures, as you may not receive any money if the conversion measures have already begun. The decisive factor for approval is your state of health at the time of application. You may have to apply separately for a building permit from the building authority for major renovations before you start, e.g. when installing an outdoor elevator.

Submit an application to the care insurance fund

If you would like to apply for a stairlift subsidy, contact your health insurance or care insurance company. You will be directed to the appropriate department, which will send you an application form. You should fill out the application form completely and return it to your health insurance company before you purchase the stairlift and have it installed in your home. Otherwise, you may not be eligible for a subsidy. If you need help filling out the paperwork, you can contact a local 50plus association. Your application can also be made informally, although we do not recommend this at this point.

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The application form will ask you for basic details such as your name and address. You must also state the reasons for purchasing the stairlift. You will need to explain why you need a stairlift, describe how your disability or limitation affects you, and show that you need help with the purchase cost of the stairlift.

In the application form, you will be asked about your level of care, your state of health, and possibly details about your finances. This information will be used to determine whether you will receive a partial subsidy or a full subsidy. The private health insurers’ care insurance may ask you to provide evidence of your financial situation. This includes details of your expenses and income, as well as bank statements, if applicable. If you are privately insured, you may also be asked to provide information about the amount of your assets. This financial information, does not affect the approval decision, but is purely for statistical purposes. You can object to the collection of such data and leave the relevant fields blank.

Photo: © Lifta GmbH | Press image from Lifta.de

In your application for Care Subsidy, you will need to provide details of the structural changes you wish to make to your home, as well as evidence of the anticipated cost of this work. You will normally be asked to submit 1-3 written estimates from different stairlift companies or manufacturers. Any reputable stairlift provider will be happy to send you a quote without charging any fees or costs. A representative of the stairlift company will visit you at your home to assess which stairlift is suitable for you. If you need help finding a Stairlift company, you can also use our Online Form.

You can also get advice from a member of staff at your health or care insurance fund regarding what type of living environment improvement is right and necessary for you. If you have not yet received professional advice, you can also call the social department of your municipality and have an official assess whether you will receive the right adaptations for your needs. The contact person at the social department, can tell you if a stairlift is the right choice for you. You can also get advice on other structural measures that can make your life easier and are subsidized by the government.

Once your application has been submitted, the health insurance company will take all the information into account. For larger renovation measures, it also makes sense to contact a building expert who will come to your home and check the feasibility of the planned changes. The application form and the evidence you have provided will assist the care insurance fund in deciding whether you are eligible for a stairlift subsidy and what level of care allowance will be determined.

Factors influencing the decision of the health insurance company

The care insurance company will consider a number of factors when reviewing your application for a stairlift grant. The most important questions the care insurance company will ask are: Are the structural changes necessary to allow you to live a self-determined life without outside assistance? Do the alterations or purchases support home care? Can home care be provided more quickly and efficiently through this or that remodeling measure. These questions are asked by the expert of the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) when he assesses the actual situation on site. If you have private insurance, the assessor comes from Medicproof GmbH.

The care allowance is intended to finance essential structural adaptations needed to help people with disabilities or reduced mobility in their daily lives. The information you provide about your disability and level of care, and a doctor’s opinion, will help the care insurance fund decide whether you need help in your home. Is the installation of a stair lift, the most appropriate solution for you? The purchases or structural changes you describe in your application form should be the best option to solve a specific problem.

For example, if you have the problem of not being able to get into your home independently because of an exterior stairway, it may make more sense to install an exterior ramp than to have an exterior stair lift installed because you will have to transfer if you have a stair lift. If the care insurance company feels there is a better or different option for you, you may need to reapply and scrap your original plans.

Is it reasonable and necessary to have the structural changes made to your property? The proposed structural changes must be appropriate, taking into account their age, your state of health and the degree of care. For example, if their health is expected to deteriorate foreseeably in the near future, the installation of a platform lift may make more sense than installing a stair lift. This is because platform lifts can also be used with a wheelchair. The expert from the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) will work with you to determine whether the conversion measures or purchases you propose are best suited to your needs and requirements.

How long does the approval take?

It may take some time until the assessment is completed and the care insurance fund makes a decision about your stairlift subsidy. The care insurance company checks via the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) whether a subsidy is granted or alternative solutions are more suitable. In the case of private health insurance, the assessor comes from Medicproof GmbH. To speed up the process, it is helpful to attach several cost estimates to the application, as well as photos, plans and sketches of the actual and target condition. The processing time may also depend on how busy the MDK department is and whether there is a long waiting list. However, you should receive information from your care insurance company about how long you will have to wait when you submit your application for a stairlift subsidy.

If you need to make urgent changes to your home, you should discuss this with the relevant department of your health or care insurance company when you request your application form. Your request could be prioritized if there is an urgent need. If you are planning to finance your stairlift with a grant, you must wait until a decision has been made before the structural changes begin.

You should receive a written response no later than six months after submitting your application. If you did not qualify for a grant or your application was denied for other reasons, you can appeal. You may also be able to get help with the cost of your stairlift through charities. Your care insurance provider may be able to direct you to other funding sources.

Health insurance payment

If a grant has been approved, it is usually paid out all at once after the stairlift has been installed and the conversion work has been completed. In some cases, it can also be paid out in installments. However, this only happens if you have to pay a larger amount of costs to cover more extensive remodeling measures. The care insurance company can pay the contractor directly or transfer the subsidy to you. The payment process will be explained to you by the care insurance company once your application has been approved.

Complaints and appeals

It is possible to appeal against the decision of the health or care insurance fund if you think that the decision is wrong. The care insurance fund will inform you about the objection and appeal process if you have concerns and disagree with the decision. You can also contact your local ombudsmen if you feel your health insurance company is not treating you fairly.

Alternative financing aids

If you are planning to have a stair lift installed or need help with the cost of other home modifications, there are several ways to find out about government funding. Contact your local council, the municipal contact person for long-term care, your health insurance fund, your care insurance fund or your local social services office. You can contact these institutions for assistance with your application and information about other funding opportunities. Also ask other organizations for help: many charities or associations that focus on disabled people offer grants for stairlifts or can provide support in the application process.

Photo: © Gellinger / Pixabay

Depending on the individual situation of the person concerned, different rehabilitation providers may possibly be involved in the financing of a stair lift or may be called upon. In order to clarify who is or could be responsible as an alternative cost bearer if you do not have a care degree or your application for care cost subsidy was rejected by your health insurance, you should first contact individual rehabilitation providers directly. You will find a list of all possible rehabilitation providers below:

All stairlift grants at a glance