What are the building regulations lift requirements in the UK?
In the UK, the building regulations lift requirements for a platform lift are set mainly by Part M of the Building Regulations, which covers access to and use of buildings, and are met in practice through the EN 81-41 safety standard, BS 6440:2023 and BS 8300:2018. In short: a platform lift must be safe, accessible and installed to these standards, and in a commercial or public building it must also satisfy the reasonable-adjustment duty under the Equality Act 2010. A lift fitted entirely inside a home is normally permitted development and needs no planning permission. The sections below explain each requirement in turn.
The standards that apply
- Part M of the Building Regulations — access to and use of buildings.
- BS 6440:2023 — the code of practice for powered vertical lifting platforms.
- BS 8300:2018 — designing buildings to meet the needs of disabled people.
- EN 81-41 — the European safety standard for vertical lifting platforms, to which our lifts are built.
- The Equality Act 2010 — the duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled access.
Every OnLevel installation is built and certified to these standards by our own SafeContractor-accredited engineers (CN8516).
Do I need planning permission?
For the great majority of homes, no. A lift installed entirely inside the house is permitted development and needs no planning permission. The exceptions are external installations and changes that alter the appearance of the building.
Conservation areas and listed buildings
In a conservation area, or where the home is listed, internal changes to a listed building can require listed-building consent, and external work can need permission. OnLevel's low-impact, reversible installation suits heritage homes well, and we confirm exactly where your property stands and handle the paperwork before any work begins.
What size is a Part M compliant platform lift?
For public and commercial buildings, Part M and BS 8300 expect a platform of at least 800mm × 1250mm where the user enters and exits straight through; 900mm × 1400mm gives comfortable straight-through wheelchair access, and 1100mm × 1400mm is needed where the user must turn 90° to exit. OnLevel platforms configure from 850mm × 850mm for compact domestic settings up to 1400mm × 1600mm for commercial and stretcher use, so a compliant size exists for almost any footprint. See our commercial lifts and the Equality Act guide for the specifier detail.
Find a platform lift installer in your area
We install and service OnLevel platform lifts across England, with dedicated local pages for hundreds of towns. Explore the areas we cover — including London, Surrey, Kent, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Essex — or browse the full list of locations across the UK.
Request a no-obligation quotation
Every property is different, so the surest way to a firm figure is to tell us about your project — the property, the floors you need to serve and what you want to achieve. Send us those details and our SafeContractor-accredited team will prepare a written, no-obligation quotation. Request your quotation on our contact form, or see the areas we cover across the UK.