Life is more costly when you are disabled

DISABLED Piers Wilkinson pays more for food, travel and housing, and is beholden to one manufacturer for his specially adapted wheelchair.

The 22-year-old Bangor University student cannot bulk-buy his grocery shopping as he is limited to whatever he can carry in his chair. He often has to travel to lectures by taxi rather than relying on public transport and with a limited stock of housing accessible for the disabled he pays more to rent a home.

He also pays more for specific clothing he knows will fit his shape.

Piers, who is also involved in amateur theatre, says: ‘If a bus is late or too full, I cannot just walk or drive. I have to pay for taxis and get charged more as a wheelchair user. I also have to pay for my wheelchair if it breaks. It is stressful and out of my control.’

Piers is resourceful in finding ways to save money. For example, if he needs a single screw to fix his chair, the specific one might cost £9. But he will buy a slightly longer standard screw and saw a bit off with tools his theatre group uses to create props.

He says bicycle shops are also ‘friends’ of wheelchair users and assist him with his tyres when he gets a puncture. Meanwhile, friends with cars help out with food shopping trips.

Despite working around problems, Piers says it is ‘disheartening’ when he is charged more for taxi fares despite this practice being illegal since the law changed a year ago. ‘It is difficult to be disabled and makes life more expensive,’ he adds.