Published 27 April 2026 · Last updated 27 September 2026
Quick answer: A bath lift is a battery-powered seat that lowers you into your existing bath and raises you out again. Most cost £200 to £450, and councils in many areas lend them free after an occupational therapy assessment. You need to be able to sit on the side of the bath, swing your legs over and sit unsupported. Check the user weight limit, how low the seat goes, and the weight of the heaviest piece someone will lift in and out.
Last checked: 27 September 2026. Specifications were read on each maker’s own website, spec sheets or manuals, and prices on retailers’ pages, on that date.
Who a bath lift suits, and who it does not
Living Made Easy, the Disabled Living Foundation’s equipment guide, suggests a bath lift if you find a bath board or seat difficult, and notes it can reduce the risk of back injury for a carer who helps. Lincolnshire County Council’s equipment guide sets the basic test: you must be able to sit on the side of the bath and lift your legs over. It also warns that even at its lowest, a bath lift will not put you on the bottom of the bath.
Bath lifts are less suitable where someone cannot sit without back support (Living Made Easy says lifts without a backrest need very good core stability), where memory or judgement is affected (Telford and Wrekin Council’s bathing fact sheet cautions about cognitive impairment, including dementia and stroke, and Drive’s Bellavita NOVA manual excludes users who cannot operate the lift independently), or where grip is too weak for the hand control. A walk-in shower or wet room may suit better; see our accessible bathroom costs.
Seven bath lifts checked against their makers’ documents
We read each maker’s own product page and, where published, spec sheet or user manual. Where a figure was not published, the table says so.
| Bath lift | Max user weight | Lowest seat | Highest seat | Back recline | Heaviest piece to lift | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatec Orca NG | 140kg (XL 170kg) | 6cm | 42cm | Up to 40° | Seat 6.6kg | Not published |
| Drive Bellavita | 140kg | 6.5cm | 48cm | Up to 50° | 9.7kg total, two sections | 5 years |
| Drive Bellavita NOVA | 170kg UK / 140kg Germany | 6.5cm | 48cm | 10° to 50° | Base 9.5kg | 5 years (2 on hand control and battery) |
| Bathmaster Deltis | 170kg | 6.9cm | 45.5cm | Not published | Seat 6.8kg | 2 years |
| Drive Neptune | Not published | 7cm | Not published | Not published | 9.5kg total, two sections | Not published |
| Mangar Archimedes | 165kg | 8cm | 45cm | Not published | 10kg total | Not published |
| Mangar Bathing Cushion (inflatable) | 150kg | Flat | 40cm | Not published | Cushion 2kg, compressor 3.7kg | Not published |
What checking the documents turned up. On 4 of the 7 bath lifts we checked, two sources gave different figures for the same thing, and on one of them, the Bellavita NOVA, the disagreement was between the maker’s own UK and German websites (170kg and 140kg). The other three were retailer listings that disagreed with the maker: a 135kg limit for the Mangar Bathing Cushion against the maker’s 150kg, a 140kg standard limit and a three-year warranty for the Deltis against the maker’s 170kg and two years, and a 12-month warranty for the Bellavita against Drive’s five years. One retailer also sells the Neptune under a different brand name with a 160kg limit, where Drive’s own page publishes no limit at all.
We apply the least-favourable-figure rule used across our documents-checked pages: where two figures disagree, plan around the less favourable one. Buyers who plan around the least favourable figure are never caught out; buyers who plan around the best one sometimes are. For the NOVA that means 140kg until Drive confirms otherwise in writing.
Only one maker, Drive, publishes a figure for lifts per charge: its NOVA manual says approximately 6 baths, depending on the user’s weight. Every other lifts-per-charge figure we saw came from a retailer.
Prices on 27 September 2026
| Bath lift | Lowest price seen (VAT relief) | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Drive Bellavita | £189.95 | Mobility Smart |
| Drive Bellavita NOVA | £199.00 | Manage At Home |
| Aquatec Orca | £240.00 | Essential Aids |
| Mangar Archimedes | £279.95 | Mobility Smart |
| Bathmaster Deltis | £279.00 (without covers) | Essential Aids |
| Drive Neptune | £299.00 | Manage At Home |
| Mangar Bathing Cushion | £419.95 | Four retailers at the same price |
Add 20% if you do not qualify for VAT relief. Telford and Wrekin Council’s fact sheet gives a typical private cost of £200 to £450, which matches what we found. For a wider cost breakdown, see how much bath lifts cost, and for our picks, the best bath lifts in the UK.
Bath lifts on Amazon
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Measure the bath before you buy
Living Made Easy says a bath 1,700mm long leaves room for most bath equipment. Check the internal width at the base and at the rim, because a tapered or slipper bath may not take a flat seat. Check whether the bath is acrylic or steel and whether the base is textured: most lifts hold on with suction cups, which grip best on a smooth surface. And think about who will lift it: the heaviest pieces in the table above weigh 6.6kg to 10kg, lifted over a bath rim.
Getting a bath lift from the council
Many councils lend bath lifts through their community equipment service after an occupational therapy assessment. Wakefield Council lists bath lifts among the bathing equipment it lends free for as long as it is needed, after assessment by an occupational therapist or district nurse. Waltham Forest says it loans out thousands of items, from bath lifts to shower chairs, free to eligible residents, and lets you refer yourself. Not every council does: Telford and Wrekin’s bathing fact sheet points residents to buying privately. Staffordshire County Council advises getting occupational therapy advice before buying any bath lift.
Contact adult social care and ask for an OT assessment for bathing. Waits vary, so if you buy privately in the meantime, the assessment is still useful for fitting advice. For larger changes such as a level-access shower, the VAT relief and Disabled Facilities Grant routes apply.
What to do next
Check you can sit on the bath rim and swing your legs over. Measure the bath length and both internal widths. Ask adult social care for an OT assessment. If you buy, pick a lift whose weight limit, in its least favourable published version, is comfortably above the user’s weight, check who will lift the heaviest piece, and choose a model that will not lower you unless the battery has enough charge to raise you again.
Watch: using a bath lift
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bath lift cost in the UK?
On 27 September 2026, the bath lifts we checked cost from £189.95 to £419.95 with VAT relief. Most belt or seat lifts cost £190 to £300, and the Mangar Bathing Cushion was £419.95. Add 20% if you do not qualify for VAT relief.
Can I get a bath lift free from the council?
Often, yes. Many councils lend bath lifts free through community equipment services after an occupational therapy assessment, including Wakefield and Waltham Forest. Some councils, such as Telford and Wrekin, direct people to buy privately. Ask adult social care for a bathing assessment.
What is the weight limit on a bath lift?
Standard models we checked were rated at 140kg to 170kg by their makers. Sources disagreed on 4 of the 7 lifts, so plan around the lowest figure published for your model and choose a lift rated well above the user’s weight.
Will a bath lift fit my bath?
Usually, but measure first. A bath around 1,700mm long fits most equipment. Check the internal width at the base and at the rim, and whether the base is smooth enough for suction cups. Tapered and slipper baths can be a problem.
Who should not use a bath lift?
Anyone who cannot sit on the bath edge and lift their legs over, cannot sit without support, or cannot safely operate the hand control, including some people with dementia. An occupational therapist can advise on alternatives, such as a shower seat or level-access shower.
Sources
Maker pages and documents read 27 September 2026: dhcare.co.uk (Aquatec Orca NG page and UK sales sheet), drivemedical.co.uk (Bellavita, Bellavita NOVA, Neptune), drivemedical.de (Bellavita NOVA), Bellavita NOVA user manual (Drive Medical GmbH), performancehealth.co.uk (Bathmaster Deltis), winncare.uk (Mangar Archimedes and Bathing Cushion). Prices from manageathome.co.uk, mobilitysmart.co.uk, essentialaids.com, completecareshop.co.uk and healthandcare.co.uk. Guidance from Living Made Easy (bath lifts and hoists), Lincolnshire County Council (Connect to Support), Telford and Wrekin Council bathing fact sheet (2021), Wakefield Council, Waltham Forest Council and Staffordshire County Council.
Published 27 April 2026 · Last updated 27 September 2026