The cost of living in UK is soaring – and for people with a disability – this means extra, extra costs. However, the Chancellor has acknowledged that the cost of living is a pressing issue, and has pledged to support people affected. There has also been much talk about the impact of austerity and the energy price cap, which are both adding to the rising cost of living for disabled people.

It is a source of significant concern for disabled people, because of the additional costs faced that non-disabled people don’t. According to a recent survey, people with disabilities face extra costs of between £583 and £1,000 monthly due to specialist items, insurance and day-to-day services. Many people with disabilities are finding it difficult to find the best deals on their energy bills and must instead, prioritise their health and care.

Whether a person can work part-time or full-time, the cost of living in the UK is disproportionately high for people with disabilities. The increasing cost of specialist equipment, therapies, accessible transport and energy can all add up to a substantial amount. These costs are so high that as a disabled person, your benefits may not be sufficient to cover the rising costs.

Disabled people with low incomes are at a higher risk of becoming destitute, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. In 2019 2.4 million people were living in poverty, and more than half were disabled. In addition, most people living in deprivation suffer from long-term health conditions. Fuel and food poverty are two of the biggest concerns of disabled people.

Cost of Living in UK and How it’s Affecting People With Disabilities: Impact of Rising Costs

As household energy bills continue to rise, disabled people are increasingly facing financial difficulty. You most likely are finding it more difficult to cook or heat your home. You most likely also have trouble affording to charge all your essential medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and pressure care mattresses, as needed.

There is an increasing risk of ending up without the necessary medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, feeding pumps, SATs machines, and rising beds. Increasing numbers of disabled people are suffering from cold homes, and are reverting to eating food that doesn’t need to be cooked :(.

As you very well know, in order to keep pace with the increasing costs of living, most disabled people rely on government benefits. The gap between this financial support and essential costs has increased significantly in the past two years. For example, the removal of £20 per week from the Universal Credit uplift represents a significant cut for many claimants. During the pandemic, 1.9 million disabled people on ESA did not receive any additional help from the government.

Sophie Christiansen’s special report on the cost of living crisis and people with disabilities: Video

Also, with the increasing cost of living in the UK, the number of people with disabilities is also rising. Inflation and changes to National Insurance contributions have all pushed up prices and made many people more vulnerable to these problems. Disabled people are even more vulnerable to rising costs of living, and many of the decisions we make are affected by our financial circumstances.

As disabled people, we often have to spend more money on essential services, mobility equipment, and vital therapies, such as physiotherapy. Household energy bills are forecast to rise again by October, making it difficult for disabled Britons to feed ourselves and power vital medical equipment. Among these are ventilators, nebulisers and oxygen concentrators. In addition, feeding pumps, and rising beds, as well as mobility equipment like electric wheelchairs and stairlifts.

The costs of these essentials can make life very difficult, especially for people with complex disabilities. In addition to this, disabled people often need more heating and electricity to charge their assistive technology, and petrol due to limited transport options.

Concern over rising costs of living has become a major concern for many disabled people. In a recent survey by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), over four in five disabled people reported feeling worried about the rising costs of living. The survey revealed that people with disabilities were more likely to report being very worried about rising living expenses than people without disabilities (82% compared to 75%).

Cost of Living in UK and How it’s Affecting People With Disabilities: Impact of Energy Price Cap

One hopes the government acts quickly to protect the disabled population from the impact of the rising energy costs. Otherwise, people may be forced to resort to food banks and unwashed clothes. Or may have to choose between paying the bills and spending money on life-saving medical equipment.

With the rise in fuel costs since April 2022 – and more expected from October 2022 – the cap on energy bills could be the final nail in the coffin for many people with disabilities. Thankfully, there are still ways to protect disabled people from the impact of these rising energy costs.

One such way to protect people with disabilities from these crazy energy price increases – and help you save money on your everyday essentials is to take advantage of the household utility bills savings from Utility Warehouse (UW). It’s clear that this cost of living crisis is not going away anytime soon, now the October price cap is expected to be higher than previously predicted.

Charity organisations are calling on the chancellor to introduce additional support for the disabled, as the crisis has hit many families. Many disabled people are already struggling to put food on the table, so the additional costs can cause them to cut back on other essentials, including healthcare and food.

Some disabled people have had their bills doubled or tripled, meaning they are having to forgo essentials like air conditioning and heating. The government’s proposed cap could cause extreme hardship to many people, and charities are calling for targeted support for those who are most in need.

The government’s new energy price cap is likely to increase energy bills for millions of households. Default variable tariffs will see bills rise by as much as £693, with the average family spending £1,971 extra each year. However, disabled households will be particularly affected by the disproportionate impact of the increase.

The new energy price cap is likely to increase the cost of electricity, gas and other non-domestic energy by around 54% by the end of 2022. However, this increase won’t be distributed evenly between households, and the poorest will be hit more severely than the rich. Poorer families will see their household budget shrink by 6% in April, compared with the richest. So, the price cap on energy will be particularly damaging to disabled families.

And this cost is expected to increase even further in October. Disabled people, pensioners and single parents will be hit the worst, as we will have to spend nearly two-thirds of our income on energy. Meanwhile, we will see an increase of around 23% on our bills.

Cost of Living in UK and How it’s Affecting People With Disabilities: Help

While the rapidly increasing cost of living might not seem like a big deal, it is a problem for people who are on a small budget – such as people living with a disability. The government has introduced measures in the form of a £500 million grant to local authorities that have been distributed to lower-income households.

Additionally, every household in Britain will get a £400 discount on its electricity and gas bills under the new Cost-Of Living Package. It is funded by higher borrowing and a £ 5 billion windfall tax for oil and gas companies.

Additionally, the package will provide an additional £650 for eight million households who are entitled to means-tested welfare benefits, including disabled people. For pensioners, an additional £300 will be paid in winter fuel payments. People with disabilities will also receive an additional £150.

How cost of living crisis is impacting disabled people: Video

In Britain, the cut to disability benefits and the closure of the Independent Living Fund forced many disabled people to rely on their families, charities and food banks to survive. In addition, the spare room subsidy and bedroom tax have had disproportionate impacts on disabled people, resulting in increased debt and evictions.

Cost of Living in UK and How it’s Affecting People With Disabilities: Conclusion

As much as it all sounds like doom and gloom, as a person with a disability you can do much to protect yourself and your loved ones from the Cost of Living Crisis we find ourselves in right now. There are low-stress ways to earn extra money with a disability. And you can also take control of your rising utility bills and everyday essentials with Utility Warehouse (UW).

Utility Warehouse is the UK’s only true multiservice provider of utilities. This includes your gas, electricity, broadband, phones, and home insurance. They have been providing outstanding utility services since 1996, and are a great success story in Britain. They are also listed on the London Stock Exchange. Over 70 awards have been given to them in the past decade. Utility Warehouse has helped over 700,000. UK homeowners save money and time, so you can be sure you’re in good company.

UW guarantees you savings on your gas, electric, phone, broadband and home insurance.

PLUS a way to earn money which counts towards paying for your utilities and other expenses. We all pay utility bills anyway because we need the gas and the electric and broadband and everything else we have come to rely on, to make our world run smoothly daily.

Utility Warehouse offers a viable business model that will allow them to weather any storm, be financially sustainable, and still provide you with excellent services. Even though energy companies are going bust every few weeks or so, UW isn’t going anywhere. They’re here to stay