A stair assistance device for assisting a person to climb up and down stairs, the device comprising: a handle; a saddle for engagement with a guide rail mounted alongside the stairs, the saddle being connected to the handle and being arranged for sliding motion along the guide rail; a braking rail for mounting alongside the stairs parallel to the guide rail; and a bracket connected to the saddle, the bracket being for selectively engaging with the braking rail to prevent motion of the handle and saddle along the guide rail; characterised in that: the bracket and the braking rail together form a releasable ratchet that, when engaged, prevents movement of the handle in a downstairs direction and allows movement of the handle in an upstairs direction; the handle is coupled to the pawl of the ratchet such that a predetermined movement of the handle relative to the braking rail will disengage the pawl from the rack of the ratchet so that the handle may move freely in both the upstairs and the downstairs direction; the stair assistance device comprises a locking device for selectively preventing disengagement of the ratchet; the locking device has a first position where the ratchet can be disengaged by the predetermined movement of the handle and a second position where the ratchet cannot be disengaged; and the locking device comprises an adjustable flap connected to the bracket, wherein in the first position the flap allows a sufficient range of movement of the bracket relative to the braking rail in order to permit the pawl to disengage from the rack of the ratchet, and in the second position the movement of the bracket is restricted so that the pawl always remains engaged. a handle; a saddle for engagement with a guide rail mounted alongside the stairs, the saddle being connected to the handle and being arranged for sliding motion along the guide rail; a braking rail for mounting alongside the stairs parallel to the guide rail; and a bracket connected to the saddle, the bracket being for selectively engaging with the braking rail to prevent motion of the handle and saddle along the guide rail; characterised in that: the bracket and the braking rail together form a releasable ratchet that, when engaged, prevents movement of the handle in a downstairs direction and allows movement of the handle in an upstairs direction; the handle is coupled to the pawl of the ratchet such that a predetermined movement of the handle relative to the braking rail will disengage the pawl from the rack of the ratchet so that the handle may move freely in both the upstairs and the downstairs direction; the stair assistance device comprises a locking device for selectively preventing disengagement of the ratchet; the locking device has a first position where the ratchet can be disengaged by the predetermined movement of the handle and a second position where the ratchet cannot be disengaged; and the locking device comprises an adjustable flap connected to the bracket, wherein in the first position the flap allows a sufficient range of movement of the bracket relative to the braking rail in order to permit the pawl to disengage from the rack of the ratchet, and in the second position the movement of the bracket is restricted so that the pawl always remains engaged. the bracket and the braking rail together form a releasable ratchet that, when engaged, prevents movement of the handle in a downstairs direction and allows movement of the handle in an upstairs direction; the handle is coupled to the pawl of the ratchet such that a predetermined movement of the handle relative to the braking rail will disengage the pawl from the rack of the ratchet so that the handle may move freely in both the upstairs and the downstairs direction; the stair assistance device comprises a locking device for selectively preventing disengagement of the ratchet; the locking device has a first position where the ratchet can be disengaged by the predetermined movement of the handle and a second position where the ratchet cannot be disengaged; and the locking device comprises an adjustable flap connected to the bracket, wherein in the first position the flap allows a sufficient range of movement of the bracket relative to the braking rail in order to permit the pawl to disengage from the rack of the ratchet, and in the second position the movement of the bracket is restricted so that the pawl always remains engaged.