£975 price tag for disabled households - New Scope research

Tori_Scope

Hi everyone

Summary

We’ve just launched our new Disability Price Tag report. This explores the extra costs that households with at least one disabled adult or child in them face.

We're asking you to tell your MP about it to raise awareness of the extra costs disabled households face, and demand the Government take action.

Life costs £975 a month more for disabled households

Our new Disability Price Tag report shows that the average disabled household faces £975 a month in extra costs. This means disabled households need to find almost £12,000 more a year to achieve the same standard of living as non-disabled households. 

These extra costs can include:

♿ Specialist equipment like wheelchairs, hoists, and home adaptations.

💡 Higher energy costs.

🚕 Costly taxis because of inaccessible public transport.

📝 Expensive insurance rates.

🛒 Foods that meet specific dietary requirements.
The cost-of-living crisis, rocketing inflation, and sky high bills have made this situation worse.

Email your MP

Tackling this inequality must be a political priority. 

Email your MP using our online tool to tell them about the new report, and demand that they take action. There's an optional space for you to add in your own thoughts and experiences, which can help your MP to connect to the cause. 

Share the report on social media

You can also share the report on social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

If you have any questions about the report, or emailing your MP, please just let me know! 

2oldcodgers

I receive PIP - Enhanced Care & Mobility, my wife receives AA - Higher rate due to day and night care requirements. I'm 74 and my wife is 79.
Now you might say that we are a disabled and vulnerable household. The Tag you mention of an average cost due to disabilities of £975 per month does not strike any chord for us.
Because it is an average some will have no extra costs whilst others might have extra costs of over £2000 a month.
With respect it is wrong to quote the figure of £975 as meaningful. It does tend to say that everyone has extra costs. We certainly don't especially since the 10.1% increase across all welfare benefits. 
Really you should instead be highlighting that there are some people that do have extra costs in the range of £0 - £2000 a month.
I cannot legitimately agree with the need to contact an MP or report it on social media across the spectrum of all disabled & vulnerable people if people are not finding any increase or like myself have no extra costs.
This is the age old problem of using averages - some do, some don't.

Breacon

Hi 2 old codgers,
Hope you are both well..
Having read your post, I agree with you, perhaps simply been in receipt of benefits, does not actually mean that everyone, has increased costs, as all disabled/vulnerable individuals needs can be different.
I for one, am eternally grateful, for receiving what I do, I feel, there are better fights to fight & more needs to be highlighted & done, regarding the cruelling benefits process, which I have & continue to struggle with, this certainly impacts my health condition, however, like most people I guess, if its cold, I do put extra layers on, rather than the heating, but I've always done that anyway, yes I feel the cold a lot more now, so I do use my heating, but sparingly, due to the cost.
Individuals with electrical aids etc etc, will be facing increased costs, but I agree, not everyone will have additional costs, so to make an average cost, perhaps isn't a true reflection, on us all.
I would very much, like to see the government assist us all, with the rising costs of fuel, so that we don't have to be cold.
By the way, did you ever manage to get a blue badge.?

2oldcodgers

Breacon said:

Hi 2 old codgers,

By the way, did you ever manage to get a blue badge.?

Nope. After she went through the form filling 3 times along with  3 assessments she has given up. No idea what these assessors want from a claimant. 
We are lucky however in that I have a BB together with a PIP award for 10 years until 2029  when I will be 80. It's just a bind that I have to take her everywhere when sometimes she just wants to be on her own without me tagging along.

2oldcodgers

stormy said:

I think if I was given an extra £900 a month and told I must spend it then yes I may well find I was approaching a normal life. Things like having a warm house and being able to get taxis (or have car) and help around the house (when I cant look after myself) would be possible. I dont think Id even have to resort to foreign holidays to spend it, though thats fairly normal I suppose.

I understand but to suggest that every disabled and vulnerable person desperately needs the £975 is so wrong. That is the problem with averages. There are those that are financially secure already and those who are living on the breadline due to increased costs of being disabled and vulnerable. Not everybody is in the same boat financially.

Breacon

Hi All,

I find it so upsetting, reading these posts, & I just wish, We could all do something to make life a little easier, I feel sorry that old godger can't even get a bb, for his wife, to enable her more independence.
The other post, stating living in fear, of loosing benefits, I understand that one, as its constantly threatened to us. 
The pip, if you do manage to get it, your then faced, with the worry & possibility of loosing it again, with reviews & the like, its a dreadful way, to have to live, I sympathise with the comment, that the system has put years on him, I feel the same way, I feel unable to carry on with my life at present & move forward, with out battling the broken system, of the benefit system.
Im really shocked & saddened to learn & experience all the difficulties & uncertainties regarding the benefit system, & the stress, this inflicts on all vulnerable people in need.
Im aware, im ranting, apologies for that, but where are all these big organisations, & mps etc etc, who could possibly address the issues, that we all face.
I am aware I am probably very ignorant in terms of, the benefit system etc etc, but as a nation, why is this tolerated by us all.
I really dont know, who could change anything, to make it easier & less stressful for us all.
I find it shocking, that nothing is done, to sort this out.
Paris campaign & March, simply because their government add 2 years onto the pension.
We seem to sit back & except our lot.
Apologies to anyone, if my rant offends anyone, & those who have tried, to change things, all to no avail.

2oldcodgers

Whymeiwonder2 said:

If some folk on here don’t want the extra help that’s up to them, you could always give the money to charity!

It's not the financial help that is the problem it's how it is being suggested that every one that is disabled needs on average an extra £975 being the extra costs that a disability brings to the table. Some need nothing extra as they don't have extra costs whilst others may need upwards of an extra £2000. I'll go as far as to say that PIP is wrong - the government say the money given for care goes towards the extra costs. What happens, as in my case, that there are no extra costs? Surely instead of giving everybody a bit of money, should it not and only be directed to those who can evidence what these extra costs are? 
This is much like the mobility element where people who have the financial wherewithal are able to buy and run their own car whether they are disabled or not, yet have a Motability car because it is far cheaper. Is that right? Surely the idea of Motability is to provide the disabled with a car which they would have no chance of doing so themselves.
The government need to rethink who they should actually fund and why.

2oldcodgers

Breacon said:

Hi All,
The other post, stating living in fear, of loosing benefits, I understand that one, as its constantly threatened to us. 
The pip, if you do manage to get it, your then faced, with the worry & possibility of loosing it again, with reviews & the like, its a dreadful way, to have to live, 

Apologies to anyone, if my rant offends anyone, & those who have tried, to change things, all to no avail.

It certainly doesn't offend me.
What you are describing and suggesting is that we scrap PIP and bring back DLA?
It's the very reason that PIP was brought about because of the selfishness of some DLA claimants having now created the issue that you mention.
In the past you could have the highest DLA award for both mobility and care with the DWP hardly if ever asking the claimant to prove years down the line that their disability remains the same or is worse. You had claimants keeping quiet for decades and quite happily banking the DLA money.
To counter this abuse PIP now has regular reassessments.
All you can do is blame those that took the michael out of DLA award - the minority having spoilt it for the rest of us.

Breacon

I couldn't agree with more, I'm a bit like that, very principled & hate any sort of injustice....so will fight on, even though its exhausting.
I've been looking on Scope Web site, & they have been challenging decisions etc etc & trying to change things for us,, to have a better system, in place, that might work, I won't hold my breath.
It's reassuring to know, people are fighting our corner, & can only hope improvements are made.
Thank you for your kind comment...
We all have to try & fight this, all for one, & one for all etc etc.

Adeline

I have to admit being a bit confused what's wrong with using an average? Of course some people will have higher costs and some lower, it is implied by it being an average. 

2oldcodgers said:

I receive PIP - Enhanced Care & Mobility, my wife receives AA - Higher rate due to day and night care requirements. I'm 74 and my wife is 79.

If you took away the nearly £700 a month you receive for PIP and your wife's AA and any premiums you'll receive due to having them, would you still be okay financially? If not, could it be possible that you have costs that aren't thought about or instantly obvious?

I certainly have additional costs for being disabled and so do my disabled children. Here are just a few that I imagine most people can relate to:

Foods that are slightly more 'convenience' to make it easier to cook with my disabilities and also foods that meet dietary needs
My daughter with ARFID and recovering from anorexia has a tailored diet plan that certainly costs more than regular foods
Medication
Hospital trips and appointments
Paying for a gardener because I'm unable to do it myself
High bills as we use more water, gas and electric
We go out less than most families so are home more so even ignoring the cost of running some equipment we use, we use more gas and electricity generally from being at home more!

Even things like an accessible holiday costs more than a regular one. Last year we tried to go on a cheap caravan holiday but the accessible ones were considered 'premium' and all cost more. 

2oldcodgers

Adeline said:

I have to admit being a bit confused what's wrong with using an average? Of course some people will have higher costs and some lower, it is implied by it being an average. 

2oldcodgers said:

I receive PIP - Enhanced Care & Mobility, my wife receives AA - Higher rate due to day and night care requirements. I'm 74 and my wife is 79.

If you took away the nearly £700 a month you receive for PIP and your wife's AA and any premiums you'll receive due to having them, would you still be okay financially? If not, could it be possible that you have costs that aren't thought about or instantly obvious?

I certainly have additional costs for being disabled and so do my disabled children. Here are just a few that I imagine most people can relate to:

Foods that are slightly more 'convenience' to make it easier to cook with my disabilities and also foods that meet dietary needs
My daughter with ARFID and recovering from anorexia has a tailored diet plan that certainly costs more than regular foods
Medication
Hospital trips and appointments
Paying for a gardener because I'm unable to do it myself
High bills as we use more water, gas and electric
We go out less than most families so are home more so even ignoring the cost of running some equipment we use, we use more gas and electricity generally from being at home more!

Even things like an accessible holiday costs more than a regular one. Last year we tried to go on a cheap caravan holiday but the accessible ones were considered 'premium' and all cost more. 

If we both lost PIP and AA would we be OK finically - Yes I believe we would. If you mean just our State pensions, and other private pensions/annuities we would still have approx £467 a week coming in with no rent or mortgage to pay and no Council Tax either.
As for neither of us having any extra costs because of joint disabilities - that is true. All medication is free, Trips to hospital outpatients etc is only a few miles away and if need be just a short bus journey away which is free due to us both having bus passes. Yes I have a gardener costing maybe £20 a month which has nothing to do with any disabilities I just don't have a clue what to do. Domestic fuel has come down since April by £80 a month. As for socialising, we simply don't want to bother. We have lived a fast and hectic lifestyle for the past 50 years and to be honest we are both burnt out.
Again holidays. We can't go abroad anymore as neither of us are able to buy travel insurance - we are refused quotes if we use the internet. Holidays in Britain? Are you joking - you have more chance of being soaked and cold than anything else. We both have our separate hobbies that keep us occupied enough
We live in a rural area and are only 3 miles away from beautiful beaches.

chiarieds

Whilst I always have a slight concern that statistics can be 'shown' to be whatever is wanted, I'm pleased that on this occasion Scope have listed the resources they've used. Having looked into some of these references, tho not admittedly all so far, I can only believe that there is indeed cause for concern.

About mentioning an 'average' figure, then surely the meaning of 'average' should be taken literally, so some will have no, or little extra costs, whilst others will have considerable costs; that's a given, & I'm unsure how this average could then be construed as not 'meaningful.' In total agreement with @Adeline here.

Saying some have extra costs in the range from £0 is inaccurate (how can you have an increased cost of nothing?).....it is an 'average' figure, so correct it seems to me.

The first references I read looked at working age households, not those now retired, so not everyone is in receipt of benefits (tho some statistics referenced then did excluded benefits), a state pension & some private pensions!

I do not believe, nor can see, how Scope has suggested that, 'every disabled and vulnerable person desperately needs the £975.' 

If you'd ever struggled you might, like myself, have some empathy. For nearly 4 years I was living on £450 at most every 4 weeks, with outgoings of £250+ before paying for electricity, LPG, food & other necessities; it certainly concentrates the mind! I didn't dare put any heating on until 7 or 8pm, & whilst in some ways I don't consider myself disabled, just a person with a genetic disorder, like others, the cold certainly impacted my wellbeing as it increased the chronic pain I already live with. And yes, stress of any kind whether financial or otherwise doesn't help; for me stress increases my physical pain.

I'm able to put my heating on as needed now altho the cost of both my LPG & electricity has doubled comparitively recently, like most others energy costs, but can appreciate that if some disabled people are often those on a low income, this must be a very difficult time indeed for them.

I do however think that parts of Scope's statement could have been better worded, & should have highlighted that, 'the average disabled household faces £975 a month in extra costs,' & should not have then said that, 'Life costs £975 a month more for disabled households,' nor 'Life costs more if you're disabled,' as these are both generalizations.

2oldcodgers said:

What you are describing and suggesting is that we scrap PIP and bring back DLA?
It's the very reason that PIP was brought about because of the selfishness of some DLA claimants having now created the issue that you mention.
In the past you could have the highest DLA award for both mobility and care with the DWP hardly if ever asking the claimant to prove years down the line that their disability remains the same or is worse. You had claimants keeping quiet for decades and quite happily banking the DLA money.
To counter this abuse PIP now has regular reassessments.
All you can do is blame those that took the michael out of DLA award - the minority having spoilt it for the rest of us.

And you can support these assumptions?

One also wonders how it spoilt it for you?

Tori_Scope

Thank you to everyone who's engaged with this post It's great to see some meaningful discussion going on!

That is the problem with averages. There are those that are financially secure already and those who are living on the breadline due to increased costs of being disabled and vulnerable. Not everybody is in the same boat financially.

Of course not all disabled people, or those living in a household with a disabled person, will experience the same types and levels of costs. An average figure can be a powerful way of illustrating the scale of the issue. As chiarieds and Adeline have pointed out:

Of course some people will have higher costs and some lower, it is implied by it being an average. 

About mentioning an 'average' figure, then surely the meaning of 'average' should be taken literally, so some will have no, or little extra costs, whilst others will have considerable costs; that's a given, & I'm unsure how this average could then be construed as not 'meaningful.'

We’ve used a Standard of Living approach to calculate our figure. This means we measured the standard of living based on households' ability to afford things like buying household contents insurance, repairing or replacing broken electrical goods, having small amounts of spending money, and enough to save a little.  

We also took into account location, employment situation, benefits, income levels and other factors such as the size of composition and households. Disability benefit payments like PIP are designed to help offset extra costs. But we found that, even after taking payments like PIP into account, the average disabled household faces extra costs of £975 per month.   

This means the amount of money needed to achieve the same standard of living between disabled and non-disabled households are specifically to do with disability related costs that aren't currently being sufficiently accounted for.

I understand but to suggest that every disabled and vulnerable person desperately needs the £975 is so wrong.

Chiarieds is right that we're not necessarily suggesting that all disabled people should receive a simple £975 payment, as the root of the problem is more complex than that. I can see that commenters like stormy and Adeline have touched on some of the sources of the extra costs many disabled people face, like higher energy bills, accessible travel, medication, and specialist food.

Many changes would need to happen so that all disabled people could have an equal standard of living to non-disabled people. For example, a more just benefits system, reduced energy rates for older and disabled people, and action from businesses and regulators to make sure that disabled people don’t pay over the odds for everyday essential services.

I cannot legitimately agree with the need to contact an MP or report it on social media across the spectrum of all disabled & vulnerable people if people are not finding any increase or like myself have no extra costs.

There's of course no pressure at all for anyone to email their MP or post about this on social media. I would encourage everyone who's interested to take a look at the report for themselves, though, and learn more about the figure and how we got to it.

I do however think that parts of Scope's statement could have been better worded, & should have highlighted that, 'the average disabled household faces £975 a month in extra costs,' & should not have then said that, 'Life costs £975 a month more for disabled households,' nor 'Life costs more if you're disabled,' as these are both generalizations.

We did emphasise this in our messaging, but I do take your feedback on board about some of the more succinct generalisations

Those interested can read a more in depth technical report (Word doc). 

I hope that answers some of your questions!

Lou67

@Tori_Scope
Good morning I hope you’re doing well and enjoying your new post with Scope. 

Thanks for putting up this thread I think it’s a terrible time for everyone just now with food heating and everything else so expensive. 

Great if people aren’t affected but I think the majority is definitely feeling the pinch.

Take care ❤️

Tori_Scope

I'm well and enjoying the new job, thanks @Lou67! I hope you're getting on okay too  

Yes, I think many of us are feeling the pinch. But of course people will be affected in different ways.

Our research was mentioned a few times at a Westminster Hall debate last week, and we've had quite a bit of news coverage too. So hopefully there'll be more awareness of the extra costs many disabled people face, leading to long term change.

Have any of you seen the £975 figure mentioned in the news?

Lou67

@Tori_Scope
Aww glad your enjoying the new job, I’m doing fine thanks I’m going on holiday on Thursday with my mum and one off my granddaughters, my mums not long finished chemotherapy but she’s doing well.

Yes Iv saw it mentioned a few times and Scope are doing great work raising awareness off it. 

So thanks to you and the rest off the Scope team for your great work. 

Take care ❤️

Tori_Scope

Oh that sounds lovely @Lou67 I hope it's nice and relaxing! And best wishes to your mum. 

Lou67

@Tori_Scope
Thanks very much Tori. 

❤️

Tori_Scope

Just a reminder that you have until the end of the month to email your MP about our new report!

The report will of course be available to read beyond the end of this month, and you're always welcome to share it around.

I hope you all manage to have a relaxing bank holiday weekend  

Alex_Alumni

Thanks for the update @Tori_Scope you too!  

Wibbles

Tori_Scope said:

Hi everyone

Summary

We’ve just launched our new Disability Price Tag report. This explores the extra costs that households with at least one disabled adult or child in them face.

We're asking you to tell your MP about it to raise awareness of the extra costs disabled households face, and demand the Government take action.

Life costs £975 a month more for disabled households

Our new Disability Price Tag report shows that the average disabled household faces £975 a month in extra costs. This means disabled households need to find almost £12,000 more a year to achieve the same standard of living as non-disabled households. 

These extra costs can include:

♿ Specialist equipment like wheelchairs, hoists, and home adaptations.

💡 Higher energy costs.

🚕 Costly taxis because of inaccessible public transport.

📝 Expensive insurance rates.

🛒 Foods that meet specific dietary requirements.
The cost-of-living crisis, rocketing inflation, and sky high bills have made this situation worse.

Email your MP

Tackling this inequality must be a political priority. 

Email your MP using our online tool to tell them about the new report, and demand that they take action. There's an optional space for you to add in your own thoughts and experiences, which can help your MP to connect to the cause. 

Share the report on social media

You can also share the report on social media:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

If you have any questions about the report, or emailing your MP, please just let me know! 

According to BBC this has increased to £1122 per month!

BBC News - Cost of living: Disabled students 'can't scrimp on food'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65645568
And they are quoting Scope