Extra costs/purchases you need because of a disability or health condition

apple85

So in the summer of 2023 I started a thread asking what people on this forum spent their benefits on which was a really interesting read in terms of responses and the differences in viewpoints (and in what was ‘acceptable’)

We all know about the possible upcoming law change that will allow the dwp to ask bank to regularly look at all (means tested) benefit claimants bank accounts.
(let me clarify this is not law as of yet, but a bill is currently at the House of Lords and if certain circumstances don’t change it has a chance to become law)

With that possible upcoming law change I wonder if a few on this forum are starting to get a little concerned about whether what they spend their benefit money on is okay (I know some on this forum are sticking to the ‘it’s our money and we can spend it on whatever we choose’ line - and I do somewhat agree with these people - but I also think that some of us ‘unfairly’ have a higher guilt complex than others which can be highly stressful)

Therefore I thought it was a good time to revisit the topic of that past thread but re-word it to be more relevant to the possible upcoming changes (as horrible as it is to think, in the future we may have to ‘justify’ more of our purchases and how they aid us which the majority of us haven’t had to think about up till now)


It is a ‘fact’ that the yearly living costs of a disabled person is significantly more than their abled counterparts 

obviously the extra costs & daily difficulties of , say someone in a wheelchair may be more self explanatory for a member of the general public (with not much understanding of the wide varieties of disabilities and illnesses, along with the daily challenges it brings) compared to someone with an ‘invisible’ disability that impacts thats persons life just as much

So the new re-worded question is what are the extra (living) costs/what extra purchases do you need to make to improve your quality of life in terms of disability, illness and/or health conditions?

(On a personal note I’ve been researching the extra living costs of those with a invisible disability and/or are neurodiverse but apart from mass agreement that the living costs needed are significantly more than the fully abled and/or neurotypical there is next to zero details on what these extra costs may be)


sometimes you don’t think of a purchase that truly ‘aids’ or treats your disability until someone else mentions it as being useful to them!

Rosie_Scope

Hi @apple85, one thing that I would mention for me personally is dietary and food costs. I often have to modify my diet to manage various conditions, and a lot of the cheaper options in the supermarkets either don't fit with my requirements or need a lot of preparation that I may not have the energy to do. I often have to eat a fair bit more than other people to keep my weight up, which can get expensive once you get to the checkout.

I'd say that along with buying over the counter medications and supplements to counter-act some of my dietary deficiencies it can add up to quite a bit, but it does vastly improve my quality of life. I'm sure there's more, but that's what's standing out for me so far after reading your post

OverlyAnxious

I think the wording is contradictory there.  Improving quality of life is certainly desirable, but it isn't a 'need'.  One can survive without it.  (Unlike many other disability aids)

But keeping to that wording, I would feel less guilty about buying some plants for a garden, plus perhaps raised beds/hanging baskets to keep everything at a manageable level for me.  I am fairly sure doing some gardening regularly and seeing a colourful display would improve my quality of life, as well as being positive for the environment and perhaps even bringing a smile to other people walking past as well.  

Sadly, I'm currently stuck in a small upstairs flat, so not possible unless I can move to a more suitable property first.

woodbine

We have two main "additional" expenses related to disability, as we are both at home all day we need heating all day and as I'm not capable of travelling by bus if we do go out its this there and back.

WhatThe

This isn't unlike the questionnaires themselves which probe what can be very personal, intimate matters for disabled people. I'm slightly triggered and will move on.

 

2oldcodgers

So the new re-worded question is what are the extra (living) costs/what extra purchases do you need to make to improve your quality of life in terms of disability, illness and/or health conditions?

In a simple answer, there are none in my case.
Food - nothing extra is required
Travel - I have a Motability car so the only extra costs are fuel. This would be the same if I was not disabled in any way. I have a free bus pass as does my wife for all local journeys instead of the car.
Medicines - All are provided free of charge
My PIP Enhanced Care weekly payment of £404 a week is used to pay for the extras that my disabled grandson's needs that his parents cannot afford to pay for. He did apply for DLA but this was refused by the DWP quite a few years ago.

My wife does get the Higher (day & night) payment of Attendance Allowance. Her extra costs are:
Ironing - She requires weekly to have this done for her due to her issues - Arthitis.
Cleaning - She employs a cleaner weekly also due to her issues as above.
The total cost to her is £40 a week for both which she gets paid £101 a week benefit. As such she saves the balance of £60 to spend as and when she fancies on clothes, shoes and at least one handbag a year.

66Mustang

I am aware this is not directly answering the question...

But I think in many ways life is cheaper for me because of my "disabilities"

- I don't go out with friends -> don't spend on pubs/restaurants/transport etc.
- I am trying to lose weight as am grossly overweight ->buy less food than a healthy person
- I take medication that heats me up -> no central heating required

I do, of course, have a lot of expenses that a non-disabled person would not have, which do outweigh these savings, but just wanted to point out that not everything costs more because of my disability.

2oldcodgers

66Mustang said:

I am aware this is not directly answering the question...

But I think in many ways life is cheaper for me because of my "disabilities"

- I don't go out with friends -> don't spend on pubs/restaurants/transport etc.
- I am trying to lose weight as am grossly overweight ->buy less food than a healthy person
- I take medication that heats me up -> no central heating required

I do, of course, have a lot of expenses that a non-disabled person would not have, which do outweigh these savings, but just wanted to point out that not everything costs more because of my disability.

Being disabled, I agree, does not always by itself cost more money than what a non disabled person would pay out for.

woodbine

2oldcodgers said:

So the new re-worded question is what are the extra (living) costs/what extra purchases do you need to make to improve your quality of life in terms of disability, illness and/or health conditions?

In a simple answer, there are none in my case.
Food - nothing extra is required
Travel - I have a Motability car so the only extra costs are fuel. This would be the same if I was not disabled in any way. I have a free bus pass as does my wife for all local journeys instead of the car.
Medicines - All are provided free of charge
My PIP Enhanced Care weekly payment of £404 a week is used to pay for the extras that my disabled grandson's needs that his parents cannot afford to pay for. He did apply for DLA but this was refused by the DWP quite a few years ago.

My wife does get the Higher (day & night) payment of Attendance Allowance. Her extra costs are:
Ironing - She requires weekly to have this done for her due to her issues - Arthitis.
Cleaning - She employs a cleaner weekly also due to her issues as above.
The total cost to her is £40 a week for both which she gets paid £101 a week benefit. As such she saves the balance of £60 to spend as and when she fancies on clothes, shoes and at least one handbag a year.

so in that case your PIP mobility pays for your notability car, and enhanced care is not £404 per week its £407 every 4 weeks.

2oldcodgers

woodbine said:

2oldcodgers said:

So the new re-worded question is what are the extra (living) costs/what extra purchases do you need to make to improve your quality of life in terms of disability, illness and/or health conditions?

In a simple answer, there are none in my case.
Food - nothing extra is required
Travel - I have a Motability car so the only extra costs are fuel. This would be the same if I was not disabled in any way. I have a free bus pass as does my wife for all local journeys instead of the car.
Medicines - All are provided free of charge
My PIP Enhanced Care weekly payment of £404 a week is used to pay for the extras that my disabled grandson's needs that his parents cannot afford to pay for. He did apply for DLA but this was refused by the DWP quite a few years ago.

My wife does get the Higher (day & night) payment of Attendance Allowance. Her extra costs are:
Ironing - She requires weekly to have this done for her due to her issues - Arthitis.
Cleaning - She employs a cleaner weekly also due to her issues as above.
The total cost to her is £40 a week for both which she gets paid £101 a week benefit. As such she saves the balance of £60 to spend as and when she fancies on clothes, shoes and at least one handbag a year.

so in that case your PIP mobility pays for your notability car, and enhanced care is not £404 per week its £407 every 4 weeks.

Yes you are right it is £407. - My memory is getting worse - another disability that has been diagnosed unfortunately that doesn't cost me anything. I call it £400 because that is what I give my daughter every 4 weeks for the young lad. I think my car costs £70 a week that is paid direct to Motability.

2oldcodgers

So back to the original post.
Between us we receive a total of £274.50 a week of disability benefits.
£71 pays for the Motability car and another £40 a week is paid by my wife for household chores.

That leaves us with a 'profit' of £163.50 a week

£100 is paid to other family members with the balance of £63.50 going towards the weekly cost of my cigarettes.

AQs mentioned by me previously. There should be two tests for PIP, DLA and Attendance Allowance.
The first to assess the award and the second for the DWP to determine the actual amount that should be paid out based entirely on what is actually needed up to the maximum award.

For us this would save the State £163.50 a week!!

This could go hand in hand with assessing how much COL/Heating allowance etc is actually needed, not what is being paid out up to the max.
As an example of this over the past 4 weeks we have had £600 heating allowance etc, given to us. In February another £299 is to be handed over!
None of this money is needed. We manage OK without it. It just gets added to savings.
The money should only go to those that can demonstrate an absolute need - not give it to everybody that may well qualify.  

Jimm_Scope

Just want to clarify that often means-testing is actually more costly due to the increased bureaucracy involved in the process. Not sure if that's a factor that has been considered about for some of these non-means tested benefits.

woodbine

@Jimm_Scope my thoughts exactly means testing individual benefits cost money, not just as a one off but time and again for each claimant.

The sooner they bring in universal benefits for people of working age the better, that for them and pensions for those over 66 and scrap ALL other benefits, it will save a fortune in DWP staffing cost not to mention scrapping disability assessments which cost 10's of millions.

Fortunately that day is getting closer and closer, it was getting close to being trialled a couple of years ago but the Govt. chickened out future govts. will be braver.