It’s not an option for me to turn off the heating with my condition
ENERGY BILL CONCERN FOR THE DISABLED
THE rising cost of energy bills across the UK is forcing disabled people to choose between eating or heating.
That’s according to Sam Bosworth, a 30-year old disability advocate and wheelchair user, from Linton Colliery near Morpeth.
He said that the steep increase in energy costs this winter due to hikes in the global wholesale market is especially damaging for disabled people.
Sam has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), which affects the use of his feet and legs through damage to his peripheral nerves, and has felt at first hand the impact of rising energy costs.
He said: “The cold exasperates my joint pain, so I need to keep the temperature in my house warm and regulated. It’s the same for many people with heart issues and chronic illnesses.
“Other disabled people rely on specific electronic equipment to get around or to keep them alive. For us, it’s just not an option to turn off the switch and save electricity.
“And often that can boil down to a really hard choice between paying for food or heating your home.”
He continued: “Accessibility is already an issue in the summertime, but when you factor in the cold, ice and snow, the winter is a very difficult time for those with mobility needs.
“Even if you book in to receive help with your wheelchair on a train, for instance, you might not receive support at both stations, leaving you trapped. It means that you have to rely on costly taxis, not all of which are accessible, or help from partners, friends or family.
“There’s a real sense of isolation. You are physically trapped when you can’t afford to get around in winter as a disabled person.”
Sam said he is “really disappointed” that the benefits he receives aren’t increasing in line with the utility bills and said disabled people in particular are feeling an extra squeeze following the Government’s removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift in October.
He said that taking away the £20 so close to winter, with electricity bills rising, was “very cruel” and that people are “struggling to keep their head above the water” as a result.
He continued: “The Tories have made it difficult for poor, vulnerable and disabled people.
“I’m personally affected and lot of disabled people I know are having to turn to food banks or use crowdfunding pages to try to raise funds for bills or equipment.
“It’s horrible that people are having to ask strangers on the internet for their basic necessities – but what’s the alternative? We know that disability is prevalent among the homeless, and for many people they are just a paycheque away from being forced out of their accommodation.
“Being disabled and unemployed is very scary, because you’re not in control of your finances. You’re at the whim of the Government, and if they change the system and you have to be reassessed, it throws everything up in the air.
“And then there’s the added impact of isolation. I suffer from anxiety and depression tied to my disability, and it is definitely worse in the darker and colder months, with the added burden of money worries.
“I’m very lucky, I have a personal support system, but not everyone does. And even those who do are struggling.”
He added: “Although there is some help available from the Government, in the form of the warm home discount, there is little signposting and you have to make an application.
“I only realised I was eligible to apply after being informed by another disabled friend.”
The warm home discount provides a £140 rebate on energy bills each winter to more than 2.2 million low-income households, and sits alongside the Government’s Cold Weather Payment, which provides £25 extra a week for poorer households when the temperature is consistently below zero.
A spokesperson from the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Personal Independence Payments are available to help with extra living costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or a disability, and our £500m Household Support Fund was also introduced this year to help people with essential costs through the winter.
“Supporting energy consumers is a key priority, which is why our energy price cap will remain in place, while we continue to help vulnerable and low-income households through initiatives such as the Warm Home Discount Scheme, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.”