Home adaptation · 15 September 2026 · updated 13 October 2026
Mobility Aids Grant Scheme Ireland 2026: up to €8,000 for a stairlift, shower, ramp or grab rails
Quick answer
The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme is a county council grant of up to €8,000 for basic work that fixes a mobility problem at home: a stairlift, a level access shower, a ramp, grab rails or a fixed track hoist. It can pay 100% of the cost the council approves, but not the VAT. Household income (owner and spouse, after disregards and deductions) must be €37,500 or less. Your county council runs it, not the HSE, and it goes in on the same form as the Housing Adaptation Grant. An OT report is needed for a stairlift or a hoist. Nothing can be ordered until the council approves in writing.
What is the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme?
The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme is the smallest of the three council home grants. It pays for basic work that makes a home safe to move around in: grab rails, a ramp, a level access shower, a stairlift or a fixed track hoist. Your county council runs it, with money from the Department of Housing, under the same national rules in every county.
The Department's guidelines say the scheme is there to "fast track" help, so people are not left waiting for basic work. Most jobs need no OT report, which is a big part of why it can move quicker.
Think of it as the little sister of the Housing Adaptation Grant. Less paperwork, a lower limit, and a lower income cut-off.
How much it pays, and who qualifies
- Up to €8,000. It can cover 100% of the cost of the work as approved by the council. The approved cost is the council's own estimate or the actual cost, whichever is lower.
- Not the VAT. The grant does not cover VAT on the work. You may be able to claim some of it back from Revenue on qualifying goods, such as a stairlift or handrails made for a disabled person. Labour and general building work do not qualify.
- Household income of €37,500 or less a year. That is the gross income of the owner and their spouse or partner for the previous tax year, after disregards (Child Benefit and Fuel Allowance are two of the nine) and deductions (such as €6,250 for each child under 18). A son or daughter living at home does not count, unless they own the house. For a rented or housing body home, it is the tenant and their spouse or partner instead.
- Someone in the household has a mobility problem, and they will live there as their main home when the work is done.
- No age limit. The guidelines say it is mainly for problems that come with age, "but not exclusively", so a younger disabled person can apply too.
- Owners and tenants can apply. A private tenancy must be registered with the RTB and the landlord must agree to the work. Approved housing body tenants need the housing body's permission. Council tenants use the council's own Disabled Person's Grant Scheme instead.
If the work will cost more than €8,000, the guidelines say to apply for the Housing Adaptation Grant instead. If the income is over €37,500, the council should assess the same form under the Housing Adaptation Grant, with no new form needed. That grant pays a share of the cost for incomes up to €75,000.
Budget 2027, announced on 6 October 2026, gave €169 million to the housing adaptation grant schemes for 2027. It said nothing about changing the €8,000 limit or the income limit.
What it covers
The regulations name five kinds of work, plus other minor works the council decides are needed. Councils keep price lists of what they allow for each job. The figures below come from six of those lists, from South Dublin, Kilkenny, Westmeath, Wicklow, Offaly and Mayo, all before VAT. Your own council's figure may be different.
- A stairlift. On those lists a straight stairlift is €2,500 to €3,715 and a curved one €7,000 to €7,961, so either fits inside the €8,000 limit. What each council allows for a stairlift, and the stairlift grant, county by county.
- A level access shower. Taking out the bath and putting in a shower you can walk or wheel into. Five of the lists price a full level access shower or bathroom conversion, at €8,500 to €13,500, which is over the €8,000 limit. The guidelines say work expected to cost more than the limit should go under the Housing Adaptation Grant, so ask your council which grant to tick. Smaller jobs cost less: Mayo's June 2024 list prices a level deck shower on its own at under €2,000. Bathroom grants explained.
- A ramp with handrails, to the front or back door. €4,050 in Westmeath, €4,500 in Offaly and €2,000 to €6,500 in Kilkenny depending on size, but over €9,000 in South Dublin and Wicklow. Wicklow's list notes that some ramps now exceed the Mobility Aids Grant maximum. If it needs a new path as well, ask the council first what it will fund outside the house.
- Grab rails and handrails. South Dublin allows €313 for a plastic grab rail.
- A fixed track hoist, a ceiling or wall track that lifts and moves a person in a sling. Servicing, maintenance and training are not covered. South Dublin asks for quotes for a hoist rather than setting a figure.
- Other minor works the council decides are needed for the person's mobility.
VAT comes on top of all of these, and the grant does not pay it. It also does not cover work that is not needed for the person's mobility, or anything started, ordered or paid for before the council approves it in writing.
Mobility Aids Grant or Housing Adaptation Grant?
| Mobility Aids Grant | Housing Adaptation Grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum | €8,000 | €40,000 (€20,000 for a house under 12 months old) |
| Income limit, after disregards and deductions | €37,500 | €75,000, sliding scale |
| Share of approved cost paid | 100% | 100% down to 30% as income rises |
| VAT | Not covered | Not covered |
| Best for | One simple job: stairlift, shower, ramp, rails | Bigger or combined work: home lift, extension, bathroom plus stairlift |
| OT report | For a stairlift or fixed track hoist | For a stairlift or through-floor lift, a fixed track hoist, an extension or a big change to how a room is used |
| Form | The same council form for both | |
Councils can ask for more. The guidelines let them ask for an OT report for other work too, such as an accessible bathroom. Louth, for example, asks for an OT report with every Mobility Aids Grant application.
You cannot claim both for the same works. The Housing Adaptation Grant guidelines say minor works such as ramps, level access showers, grab rails and stairlifts should go under the Mobility Aids Grant when the income fits. If you are not sure which grant fits, the form says to contact your council for help.
Three examples
These are made up, to show how the sums work. In each one the council has already set its approved cost, before VAT.
- Grab rails in Carlow. A widow on the State Pension, income €16,000. Rails at the stairs, toilet and bath, approved cost €650. Grant €650. Usually no OT report is needed for rails.
- A stairlift in Kerry. A couple, joint income €31,000. Straight stairlift, approved cost €3,400. Grant €3,400, plus up to €300 back for the private OT report, all inside the €8,000 limit. They pay the VAT.
- A shower in Dublin. Joint income €29,000. Bath out, level access shower in, approved cost €11,000. That is over the €8,000 limit, so the guidelines point to the Housing Adaptation Grant instead. At that income it pays 100% of the approved cost.
How to apply for the Mobility Aids Grant
There is no separate Mobility Aids Grant application form. It is the same council form that covers all three home grants. Every council's form, and what each part asks for.
- Get the form from your county council's website, or ask the housing grants section to post one.
- Fill in the applicant, property, household and works sections. Describe the job exactly: "level access shower to replace the bath, with two grab rails", not "bathroom".
- The GP completes the Doctor's Certificate on pages 17 and 18, signs and stamps it.
- For a stairlift or fixed track hoist, add an OT report. A private occupational therapist's report can go in with the form, and if the grant is paid the council refunds up to €300 of the fee. Or the council can arrange an assessment after it gets your form. The private OT route.
- Add proof of income for the previous tax year, and proof that Local Property Tax is paid, deferred or exempt.
- Send it in, then wait for the decision. The council checks the form, sends a technician to look at the home, then writes to you. Order nothing until the approval letter arrives.
- After approval, send in the contractor's quote. The approval letter gives the council's estimated cost and asks for a written itemised quote from the contractor you choose, with their tax details, and for your bank details. Some councils want a quote with the form instead, so check your council's checklist. What councils ask for in a quote.
How long it takes
The national guidelines ask councils to decide within six weeks of a complete, valid application. The six weeks start only when nothing is missing. If a small detail is missing, the council should contact you, and should not hold the form for more than three weeks waiting for it.
Once approved, the work should be finished within six months. If it is running late, ask the council for an extension before the six months are up.
When a council has a backlog, it must deal with the greatest medical need first, guided by the priority level your GP ticks on the Doctor's Certificate. Some councils take only the most urgent cases when their budget for the year runs low. Ring your council's housing grants section before you start, and check your county page below for any notice from your council.
The mistakes that cost people the grant
- Ordering first. A rail fitted or a stairlift ordered before the written approval is not paid for. The only exception is an emergency where the council inspected the home before any work started, and even then it is the council's choice.
- A vague description. "Bathroom works" invites questions. Name the adaptation and why it is needed.
- A missing GP stamp. The form's checklist asks for the Doctor's Certificate stamped and signed by your doctor. Without it, the application is not complete and the six weeks do not start.
- Forgetting the VAT. The grant does not pay it. Put it in your sums from the start.
- Treating the builder's price as the grant. The council sets its own estimated cost. If your quote is higher, the grant does not automatically rise to match it.
If the form is the part that stops you
Everything above is enough to apply yourself, for free. If you would rather not do the paperwork alone, our €29.99 grant kit prepares it for you: your answers laid out for the council form, a prep sheet for the OT visit, a supporting statement, quote request emails, a checklist and timeline, and a chase letter and appeal letter if you need them. We never ask for your PPS number, your exact income, bank details or any documents. Questions first? Email hello@thegranthub.ie, free.
Sources, checked 13 October 2026: S.I. No. 612 of 2024, Regulations 2 and 5; Mobility Aids Grant guidelines, December 2024; Housing Adaptation Grant guidelines, December 2024; the national application form; gov.ie, Mobility Aids Grant (updated 17 December 2024); Citizens Information, Mobility Aids Grant Scheme (edited 20 January 2025); Revenue, reclaiming VAT on aids and appliances; Louth County Council, housing grants; council price lists from South Dublin (June 2026), Kilkenny (2026), Westmeath (2025), Wicklow (2025), Offaly (not dated) and Mayo (June 2024); Department of Housing, Budget 2027, 6 October 2026.
Common questions
What is the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme?
A county council grant of up to €8,000 for basic work that fixes a mobility problem at home, such as grab rails, a ramp, a level access shower, a stairlift or a fixed track hoist. It is for households with income of €37,500 or less, after disregards and deductions.
How much is the Mobility Aids Grant in Ireland?
Up to €8,000. It can cover 100% of the cost of the work as approved by the council, but not the VAT. Household income must be €37,500 a year or less, after disregards and deductions.
What does the Mobility Aids Grant cover?
Grab rails, ramps, level access showers, stairlifts, fixed track hoists and other minor works the council decides are needed for the person’s mobility. It does not cover VAT, hoist servicing or training, or any work started before approval.
Is there a Mobility Aids Grant application form?
It uses the same council application form as the Housing Adaptation Grant and Housing Aid for Older People. You get it from your county council, and the GP completes the Doctor’s Certificate section.
Do I need an OT report for the Mobility Aids Grant?
Yes for a stairlift or a fixed track hoist. You can use a private OT and get up to €300 back as part of the grant if it is paid, or the council can arrange the assessment. For other work the council decides, and some, such as Louth, ask for one every time. The Housing Adaptation Grant needs one for a stairlift or through-floor lift, a fixed track hoist, an extension or a big change to how a room is used.
Can I get the Mobility Aids Grant if my income is over €37,500?
No, but the council should assess the same form under the Housing Adaptation Grant instead, with no new form needed. That grant covers the same works for household incomes up to €75,000, paying between 30% and 100% of the approved cost.
Can I claim the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Adaptation Grant together?
Not for the same works. The council assesses the job under one scheme or the other.
Would you rather we did the paperwork?
Our €29.99 grant kit prepares your council application from a short questionnaire, with the OT prep sheet, supporting statement, quote emails and checklist. Everything on this page stays free.
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