In short
- Costs depend on your bathroom, the work needed and where you live. Always get written quotes.
- In England, aids and minor adaptations costing £1,000 or less should be free after a council assessment.
- A government-commissioned review found the average level-access shower paid for by a Disabled Facilities Grant in England cost £4,755 in 2016/17.
- That figure is several years old, so expect prices to be different now.
- VAT relief and grants can reduce what you pay.
Why we do not give a "typical price"
The cost of changing a bathroom depends on many things: the size and layout of the room, the floor, the drainage, the plumbing and electrics, the products you choose, and where you live. Any single "typical" figure could be misleading.
So on this page we only give figures from named, dated sources, and we say what each figure covers. We could not find a reliable, up-to-date, freely available source for current installed prices. The best guide to the cost for your home is to get several written quotes.
Figures from official sources
| Figure | What it covers | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000 or less: free | In England, aids and minor adaptations costing £1,000 or less must be provided free if a council assessment shows you need them | Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014 |
| Up to £30,000 | Maximum Disabled Facilities Grant in England (some councils may give more) | GOV.UK, checked 3 October 2026 |
| Up to £36,000 | Maximum Disabled Facilities Grant in Wales | GOV.UK, checked 3 October 2026 |
| £4,755 | Average cost of a level-access shower paid for by a Disabled Facilities Grant in England in 2016/17 | DFG and Other Adaptations: External Review, December 2018 (table 5.1) |
| £3,617 to £5,911 | The same average in different regions in 2016/17: lowest in the North East, highest in London | DFG and Other Adaptations: External Review, December 2018 (table 5.1) |
| £4,481 | Average level-access shower approved for a Disabled Facilities Grant by Wolverhampton City Council, April 2016 to March 2017, not including fees | Wolverhampton City Council, Freedom of Information response, January 2018 |
| About £9,000 | Average Disabled Facilities Grant in England for all types of work in 2016/17. The review said most work was under £5,000 | DFG and Other Adaptations: External Review summary, December 2018 |
These Disabled Facilities Grant figures are from 2016/17. They are what councils paid for grant-funded work at the time, not today's prices for private buyers. Costs have changed since then.
Example equipment prices
When we checked Living Made Easy's product listings on 3 October 2026:
- one reclining powered bath lift was listed "priced from £209.00"
- one deep-soak walk-in bath was listed "priced from £1,705.00" — for the bath only, not including fitting, plumbing, taking out the old bath or making good
These are single examples of "from" prices from one listing each. They are not recommendations, and prices change. The cost of a walk-in bath fitted in your home will be higher than the price of the bath on its own.
Grants may come with conditions
Age UK says that in England, a council may put a charge of up to £10,000 on your home for a Disabled Facilities Grant over £5,000. Its example: for a £6,000 grant, the council can put on a £1,000 charge. Ask your council what its rules are, and what the charge would mean for you, before you accept a grant.
Ways to reduce the cost
- Get an assessment first. Small changes may be free, and an assessment is needed for most grants. How to get an assessment.
- Check grants. Disabled Facilities Grants or, in Scotland, council grants.
- Check VAT relief. No VAT for disabled people, 5% for some items if you are 60 or over.
- Ask charities. Charities and free advice.
- Get at least three written quotes, and compare exactly what each one includes. Questions to ask installers.
Sources we checked
- DFG and Other Adaptations: External Review – main report (December 2018) (opens another website)
- DFG and Other Adaptations: External Review – summary (December 2018) (opens another website)
- Wolverhampton City Council: Freedom of Information response 001836 (January 2018) (opens another website)
- GOV.UK: Disabled Facilities Grants – what you'll get (opens another website)
- Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, regulation 3 (opens another website)
- Living Made Easy: Bath lifts and hoists (opens another website)
- Living Made Easy: Side entry baths (opens another website)
- Age UK: Factsheet 42 – Disability equipment and home adaptations (opens another website)
We last checked these sources on 3 October 2026. Rules and amounts can change, so please check with the organisation before you rely on them.
Get an assessment first
An occupational therapist (OT) can visit you at home and recommend what is safe and suitable for you. Ask your council’s adult social care team — in Northern Ireland, your Health and Social Care Trust.
This guide is general information, not medical, financial or legal advice. Everyone’s needs are different. Speak to an occupational therapist, your GP or the organisations we link to before making decisions.
