We're both on pensions but managed to afford to put in a grab handle in the bathroom.

What you have to remember is that there are a growing number of elderly people, with the baby boomer generation coming into the age group and that means increased strain on the system, even without the worldwide recession that has caused even more problems. In a perfect world we would all have the safety net of social services to rely on, but, if this was the case right now just think about what it would cost, per capita, to provide all that assistance. There would be some royal screaming from just about every taxpayer then.

It sounds as if you are living in the same house. Can you not afford to go out and buy this item and get it installed by Age Concern? Vi is going to have to wait even longer for her bath while you stand on principle, isn't she?