Where should the stairlift electrical supply go?

Fit a switched fused connection unit at the top of the stairs, where the carriage parks. Most UK stairlifts (Stannah, Acorn, Handicare) prefer the charging point at the top so the seat parks out of the way when not in use. Ring the installer before you start: some models prefer the bottom.

Can I just use a plug and socket instead of a fused connection unit?

You can, but a hardwired FCU is better. A plug in a socket can be pulled out by mistake, and the lift needs to be charging any time it is not being used. A switched 3 A or 5 A FCU cannot be unplugged, and the switch gives you a local isolator for maintenance.

Is a stairlift supply notifiable under Part P?

Spurring off an existing upstairs socket circuit to feed an FCU is not notifiable. Running a new dedicated circuit from the consumer unit is notifiable in England and needs a Part P registered electrician or a building notice.

Does the stairlift supply need RCD protection?

Yes. Under BS 7671, all socket outlets and circuits in a domestic property need 30 mA RCD or RCBO protection. Modern consumer units cover this by default. An older split-load board without RCD protection on the upstairs socket circuit needs sorting before the stairlift installer will complete their commissioning.

How to Wire a Stairlift Electrical Supply (UK)

Helpful video reference. Bright Spark Electrical Services' UK electrician tutorial "Fused Spurs" walks through exactly the kind of switched FCU the stairlift installer expects to find at the top of the stairs: where the supply and load terminals go, how the appliance flex enters, and why an FCU is the correct fitting instead of a plug and socket for a fixed appliance like a stairlift charger.

Before you start. Ring the stairlift company first and confirm which end of the stairs they want the charging point at, and the fuse rating their model needs. Once that is booked, isolate the upstairs ring at the consumer unit and confirm dead with an approved voltage tester at the socket you plan to spur from. Do not start work on assumption: Stannah, Acorn and Handicare each publish their own fitting requirements.

1. Talk to the stairlift company first

Before you cut any hole in the plaster, ring the installer. Ask two questions: which end of the stairs do you want the FCU, and what fuse rating do you specify? Almost all UK domestic stairlifts want the charging point at the top so the carriage parks out of the way at the head of the stairs, but a few models (particularly reconditioned or short-run installs) prefer the bottom. Get this in writing on the survey sheet, not just verbally, so there is no argument on the day.

2. Pick the FCU position

Fit the switched FCU at socket-outlet height on the wall at whichever end the installer specified. It should be close enough that the stairlift's charging lead reaches the carriage when it is parked at that end without straining, but not so close that the carriage catches it as it moves. Around 300 to 500 mm above the top step, on the wall, is typical.

Avoid putting the FCU where a stair rail bracket has to be drilled through it, and avoid putting it where the carriage swings over it if the lift folds.

3. Spur off the upstairs ring

Take a 2.5 mm² twin-and-earth spur from the nearest upstairs ring final circuit socket. Only one unfused spur per socket is permitted under BS 7671, so check the back box of your chosen socket first: if there are already three cables in it, that socket is already carrying a spur and you need to pick another.

The spur cable feeds the supply (line) terminals of the FCU. Sleeve the earth conductor in green-and-yellow sleeving. Tighten to the plate manufacturer's torque setting.

4. Fit the correct fuse

A 3 A or 5 A BS 1362 fuse in the FCU is standard for a domestic stairlift. The lift itself runs from an internal battery, and the FCU only supplies the low-power trickle charger, usually around 2 A. Fit the fuse rating the manufacturer specifies; do not just fit a 13 A because it comes with the plate.

5. Leave a flex tail for the installer

Terminate a length of 0.75 mm² or 1.0 mm² 3-core flex into the load (out) side of the FCU, and leave enough slack (about 500 mm) coiled behind the FCU or clipped along the skirting for the stairlift installer to connect to the charging point on the day. The installer's kit usually includes the last connector, so you do not need to buy a special plug for it.

6. Label clearly

Print a label 'Stairlift, do not switch off' and fix it to the faceplate. Families and cleaners see a switch that is on all the time and instinctively turn it off. If the lift is not charging overnight, the battery dies and the carriage will not move in the morning. A clear label saves that call-out.

7. Test and certify

With the circuit dead, run continuity, insulation resistance and polarity. Energise, then check earth fault loop impedance (Zs) at the FCU load side and confirm the upstairs RCD or RCBO trips in under 40 ms at ×5 trip current. Issue a Minor Works Certificate: give one copy to the homeowner and keep one on file for your records.

Stop and call an electrician if: the upstairs ring is not RCD protected, the socket you planned to spur from already has a spur, you cannot identify which MCB or RCBO covers the upstairs ring, or the property is on rewireable fuses or an older split-load board without RCD cover on the socket circuits. Any of those and the stairlift installer will refuse to commission on the day, and you have to pay for the wasted trip.

When to call us

The best time to sort the stairlift supply is a day or two before the fitter arrives, so the fitter walks in, plugs in the charger and finishes the job. Richard covers Sandwich and east Kent and will meet the stairlift company's spec, label the FCU and leave the Minor Works Certificate for the family's file.

Booked a stairlift fitter in Sandwich or east Kent?

Richard fits and certifies the switched FCU supply so the stairlift installer finishes the job in one visit. Part P registered, fully insured.

Contact Richard

How to wire a stairlift electrical supply