A lifting mechanism for a bed, comprising: - a leg connecting a foot assembly to a frame for supporting a mattress, the frame defining a support plane; - a linear actuator rotatably connected to the frame; - a drive linkage mechanism comprising a drive input link pivotally connected to the frame about a first pivot axis and a drive output link pivotally connected to the frame about a second pivot axis; and - a leg linkage mechanism, characterised in that the leg linkage mechanism comprises a leg input link and a leg output link, the leg input link being pivotally connected to the frame about the second pivot axis and being coupled to the drive output link, and the leg output link being pivotally connected to the frame about a third pivot axis, and wherein a length of the leg input link is shorter than a length of the drive output link, and wherein the actuator is configured to extend and retract to apply a force to the drive input link, and the leg output link is arranged to apply a force to the leg, and the drive linkage mechanism and the leg linkage mechanism are configured to permit the frame to move with respect to the foot assembly (30a, 30b) in a direction perpendicular to the support plane between a raised position and a lowered position. - a leg connecting a foot assembly to a frame for supporting a mattress, the frame defining a support plane; - a linear actuator rotatably connected to the frame; - a drive linkage mechanism comprising a drive input link pivotally connected to the frame about a first pivot axis and a drive output link pivotally connected to the frame about a second pivot axis; and - a leg linkage mechanism, characterised in that the leg linkage mechanism comprises a leg input link and a leg output link, the leg input link being pivotally connected to the frame about the second pivot axis and being coupled to the drive output link, and the leg output link being pivotally connected to the frame about a third pivot axis, and wherein a length of the leg input link is shorter than a length of the drive output link, and wherein the actuator is configured to extend and retract to apply a force to the drive input link, and the leg output link is arranged to apply a force to the leg, and the drive linkage mechanism and the leg linkage mechanism are configured to permit the frame to move with respect to the foot assembly (30a, 30b) in a direction perpendicular to the support plane between a raised position and a lowered position. characterised in that the leg linkage mechanism comprises a leg input link and a leg output link, the leg input link being pivotally connected to the frame about the second pivot axis and being coupled to the drive output link, and the leg output link being pivotally connected to the frame about a third pivot axis, and wherein a length of the leg input link is shorter than a length of the drive output link, and wherein the actuator is configured to extend and retract to apply a force to the drive input link, and the leg output link is arranged to apply a force to the leg, and the drive linkage mechanism and the leg linkage mechanism are configured to permit the frame to move with respect to the foot assembly (30a, 30b) in a direction perpendicular to the support plane between a raised position and a lowered position.