Are There VA Grants or Financial Help for a Stairlift?
Yes. If you're a veteran with a service-connected disability, or even certain non-service-connected conditions, the VA has grant money set aside specifically for home modifications like stairlifts. The most common route is the HISA grant, which pays up to $6,800 toward a lift, and there are two larger grants (SAH and SHA) for veterans with more severe disabilities. Here's how each one works and how to actually get the money.
The short answer: three VA grants can help
Most families are surprised to learn the VA doesn't have just one program. There are three, and they stack in a sensible order depending on your situation. A stairlift falls squarely under "home improvements and structural alterations," so it's a legitimate, covered expense under the right grant.
Here's the lay of the land.
HISA: the workhorse grant for stairlifts
HISA stands for Home Improvement and Structural Alterations, and for most veterans looking at a stairlift, this is the one that applies.
How much: Up to $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected disability (or a non-service-connected disability rated 50% or higher). Up to $2,000 for veterans with a non-service-connected disability who don't meet that threshold.
What it covers: Stairlifts, ramps, grab bars, roll-in showers, widened doorways, and other medically necessary changes that help you get into your home or reach essential bathroom and kitchen facilities.
The catch that isn't really a catch: It's a lifetime benefit, so you can draw on it across more than one project until you've used the full amount.
The one thing HISA requires is a prescription. You need a VA doctor or your VA care team to write that the stairlift is medically necessary, then you submit VA Form 10-0103 along with the paperwork. That's the step most people get stuck on, and it's exactly where we help.
Families ask about this all the time. There's a good real-world thread on where caregivers swap notes on finding aid for a stairlift, and the VA route comes up again and again.
SAH and SHA: the bigger grants for severe disabilities
If a veteran's disability is more serious, two larger grants come into play. These are meant for adapting a whole home for independent living, not just adding one lift, but a stairlift can absolutely be part of the plan.
Specially Adapted Housing (SAH): Up to $126,526 for fiscal year 2026. This is for the most significant service-connected disabilities, such as the loss or loss of use of more than one limb, or certain cases of blindness.
Special Home Adaptation (SHA): Up to $25,350 for fiscal year 2026. This covers conditions like the loss or loss of use of both hands, or certain severe burn or respiratory injuries.
Both SAH and SHA can be used up to six times over a veteran's lifetime, and there's even a temporary version (called TRA) if the veteran is living in a family member's home for now. The dollar figures adjust every year with construction costs, so the 2026 numbers above are current as of this writing.
What if the veteran doesn't qualify for a grant?
Not every veteran will hit the grant criteria, and that's okay. There are still options worth exploring:
Some veterans use pension benefits, including Aid and Attendance, to help cover the ongoing cost of staying safe at home. It's worth asking your VA representative whether you qualify.
A stairlift is often deductible as a medical expense when it's prescribed for a medical condition. That's a conversation for your tax preparer, but it can soften the real cost.
And for anyone recovering from surgery or a temporary setback, renting a stairlift can be the smartest move of all. You can read more in our post on whether you can rent a stairlift, which is one of the questions we hear most.
We'd rather tell you honestly which door to knock on than watch you leave money on the table.
How Keystone helps veterans in Central PA and Maryland
Here's the part that trips people up: the VA doesn't hand you a stairlift. It reimburses or pays toward one you arrange, and the paperwork has to be right. That's where a local, licensed team makes the difference.
We handle stairlifts of every make and model, new, refurbished, and rental, so once your grant is approved we can put the right lift on your stairs quickly. We'll help you gather the documentation the VA wants, coordinate with your prescription, and give you an honest, itemized quote you can hand straight to your VA rep. No inflated numbers, no pressure.
We're proud to serve veterans across the whole region. Whether you're up in Sunbury or Selinsgrove along the Susquehanna, over in Reading in Berks County, or out in Lewistown in Mifflin County, a Keystone mechanic can come measure your staircase in person and walk you through exactly what your grant will and won't cover. A free in-home visit costs you nothing and answers the question every family really has: what's this going to take, and what will it actually cost me?
If cost is your main worry, it's worth reading our companion pieces on how much a stairlift costs and whether Medicare covers a stairlift too, so you can see the full funding picture before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Does the VA pay for a stairlift?
Yes, most often through the HISA grant, which provides up to $6,800 toward a stairlift and other home modifications for eligible veterans. Larger SAH and SHA grants are available for veterans with more severe service-connected disabilities.
Do I need a doctor's note to get a VA stairlift grant?
Yes. HISA requires a prescription from a VA physician or your VA care team stating the stairlift is medically necessary, submitted with VA Form 10-0103.
Can I use a VA grant on a curved staircase stairlift?
Yes. The grant applies to the lift you need, straight or curved. Curved stairlifts are custom-built to your exact staircase, so we'll measure in person and build the quote around that before you file.
Is the HISA grant a one-time thing?
No. HISA is a lifetime benefit, so if you don't use the full amount at once, the remainder stays available for future medically necessary modifications.
Get a free consultation
You served. Let us handle the confusing part. Keystone Accessibility is a family-owned, licensed team serving all of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and we'll help you figure out which VA benefit fits, what paperwork you need, and which stairlift is right for your home. Call us for a free, no-pressure consultation and an honest quote you can take straight to the VA. Empowering independence, one staircase at a time.
