‘I see a price increase of 25-50%’: how inflation is affecting people with disabilities or illness
Inflation is at a 40-year high of 9.4% and the cost of groceries is projected to rise next month at the fastest rate in 14 years, putting pressure on the UK household budget. The problem is especially severe for those with disabilities or chronic illness, who rely on benefits that are not keeping pace with rising costs of living and a welfare system struggling to meet demand. . Three readers share their tales about the pressures they now face.
‘We used to cope but things have changed in a big way’
Nicola, 42, a Stoke-on-Trent mother of five, broke her back and pelvis when she was in the military as a young adult, leaving her with life-changing disabilities, which means that she cannot work. She says the rise in prices has put her family in financial trouble.
We were quoted £5,000 for window insulation but it could be a million; we do not have it
Nikola
“Our gas and electricity bills will rise to around £7,000 in October, if the increase is ‘only’ by 42% as predicted, which may well be higher.
“We were quoted £5,000 for window insulation, but it could be a million; We don’t have a bus. My husband is self employed. We get tax credits but only for three of our five children. Our youngest is autistic.
“I spend £500 a month on petrol to take the kids to school, which is four miles away. We can’t afford to live in a nice neighborhood near schools. I get out of the house as much as possible.
“The food has become extortionate. He says inflation rate is 9.1% [the figure has since risen to 9.4%] But the things we buy are seeing a 25-50% increase in prices. Four pints of milk used to be 1 pound. Yesterday it increased to 1.60 pounds.
Nicola spends £500 a month on petrol to take her children to school. Photo: Parent Community
“Despite our struggles, we do not qualify for free school meals; We are still not poor enough. I don’t know how I will afford the school uniform.
‘Soon I won’t be able to afford the food for my disabled child’
Kate, 52, Devon’s single mother of two, had to leave work to care for her young daughter, who has suffered a brain injury following a brain tumor.
The family is dependent on universal loan and caregiver’s allowance, and is now struggling to meet the necessities.
“The cost of living crisis is impacting my ability to care for my disabled daughter,” Kate said. “She has a number of health problems, including epilepsy. After trying several different medications that didn’t work, her advisor prescribed a ketogenic diet tailored to NICE. [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] guidance.
“It’s a highly specialized diet, very high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. Thanks to the diet, her quality of life has greatly improved. But it is becoming increasingly difficult to afford.
“There are some prescription supplements available but most of the food comes off the shelf, and many things I can only find online, because we live in rural areas.
Kate’s electricity cost is high.
Photograph: Simon Dack/Alamy
“Low-carb bread, sugar-free jam, low-carb pasta, almond flour and large amounts of oil, butter, cream, cheese. These ingredients are significantly more expensive than the high-carb foods used for typical diets such as pasta, rice, beans or potatoes.
In January, Kate calculated that her daughter’s diet cost her £50 a week, which is more than she could spend on herself and her second child. “I haven’t had the strength to recalculate it recently, but I know things have escalated. A liter of olive oil at Tesco used to be £3; now it’s £4.30. Then it’s time to provide such a specialist diet. There are hidden costs.”
Since he has to cook two different meals twice a day, his electricity cost is high. “We do not have storage space for bulk-buy or batch cooks. I’ve squeezed a second fridge freezer in the living room, but it costs me extra to keep it running. Our electricity costs often exceed £6 a day, without heating. Electricity bill has now doubled.
“We also have hospital appointments that require us to drive for the 35-mile round trip. We’ve had three in the past two weeks. I can no longer afford to drive my other daughter to visit friends can.
“I will do everything in my power to provide this diet but I’m afraid I can no longer afford it.”
‘I skip meals so that my parents can get proper food’
Michael*, 35, from South Wales, is disabled and on Universal Loans and Employment and Support Allowance, and struggles to afford food and rising household bills.
He lives in a council flat with his elderly parents who have various health problems.
We are really struggling now, even the three of us have got our money
Michael
“We have an oxygen machine, which is expensive to run,” he said. “We get some reimbursement for this, but we also have a stairlift and no help with gas, even though my parents are very frail, especially my mother, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and autoimmune diseases and Heating is needed to avoid contamination.
“We are really struggling now, even the three of us have deposited our money. Prices are going through the roof.
“We don’t have any savings and, unbeknownst to my parents, I’m missing meals so they can eat fair portions of food and shopping lasts a while to save money so we can pay energy bills. Huh.
“Most of the conversation is about money and rising prices. We’re cutting down on almost everything, restricting shower access and doing laundry to once a week.
“But if prices rise again in October we will be on edge.”
*Name has been changed.
