Independent living product guide | Ideas & Advice | B&Q (2025)

Grab rails

Grab rails are designed to provide support to users across the bathroom. They can assist with sitting down and standing up, moving to different positions and moving around the bathroom. They are one of the most common adaptations for people looking to improve the accessibility of their bathroom space.

Our range includes straight and angled grab rails in a wide range of different lengths and widths. You’ll find grab rails that you can fold into the wall when not in use and grab rails built into common bathroom items like soap dishes or toilet roll holders. There’s also a great choice of stylish designs and colours available, so you can find a grab rail that will beautifully blend with the rest of your bathroom décor.

Baths

If you want to make bathing easier but still want to enjoy a relaxing soak, take a look at our range of easy access baths.

Easy access baths feature a hinged door to give easy, low threshold access, which will be a welcome change from the large step required to get into a regular bath.

There are a range of different easy access bath types to suit different needs. Deep soak easy access baths feature a built in seat, which is ideal for anyone who wants to enjoy a relaxing soak, but would have difficulty lowering into a traditional bath.

Easy access baths are also available as shower baths. This style is ideal for families, where a range of different users will be using the bath.

Taps

If you’re upgrading your bathroom to an independent living space, consider how easy to use your current taps are.

Lever taps are commonly used in independent living spaces as they're easy to operate. Unlike traditional taps that require twisting, lever taps can be turned on and off with a simple push or pull.

If you’re looking for a modern alternative to lever taps, look no further than sensor taps. Sensor taps are switched on when they detect hand movement, which makes them ideal for anyone who finds physical controls difficult to use.

Shower and bath seats

Shower and bath seats will provide you with a comfortable place to sit and relax while bathing. Folding shower seats are a stylish option that are mounted on the wall and can be unfolded when required, then folded back into the wall when they’re not. This makes them an ideal choice for homes where they might not be used all the time.

Freestanding seats are a more flexible option. As they don’t need to be mounted on the wall, these seats can be moved to other places in the bathroom if required. Whether you choose a freestanding or more permanent option, there’s a great range of styles and finishes, so you can find the perfect fit for your bathroom.

If you're completely renovating your bathroom, you could create a tiled shower seat inside your shower enclosure. This is a more minimalist option that will blend beautifully with the rest of your bathroom decor.

Shower enclosure

Some shower doors can be difficult to open and close, so opt for a walk-in shower rather than an enclosure. Walk-in showers are open on one or more sides and don’t have a door. This means much easier entering and exiting of the shower, and a stylish, minimalist aesthetic.

Wet rooms

One step up from the walk-in shower is the wet room. Wet rooms are fully waterproofed, open-plan bathroom spaces. As the entire room is waterproofed, there is no need for a shower tray, so access in and out of the shower is easy with no stepping up into an enclosure. Wet rooms can also be created without a shower screen, giving you an open plan space that is easy to navigate. This open layout will also give you more room to install other independent living accessories such as grab rails and folding shower seats.

For more information on wet rooms, take a look at our guide.