Extra costs for disabled people go through the roof

• Scope’s latest ‘Disability Price Tag’ research published
• On average, disabled households face extra costs of £975 per month
• Scope calls for the tackling of extra costs of disability to become “a political priority"

New research published today (26 April) by the disability equality charity Scope finds disabled households now face, on average, extra costs of £975 per month (1).

This means disabled households would have to find an average of almost £12,000 more a year to achieve the same standard of living as non-disabled households.

And the extra cost of disability – on average - equals 63 per cent of disabled households’ income leaving little room to afford a decent standard of living.

For over a decade Scope has been tracking the extra costs facing disabled people through its ‘Disability Price Tag’ research and has been at the forefront of campaigning for change.

The charity’s new findings, based on analysis of the Family Resources Survey 2019/20, show a dramatic increase on previous reports. And the situation is getting worse still. If this figure is updated to account for inflation over the current period 2022/2023, incorporating the pandemic and cost of living crisis, these extra costs rise to £1,122 per month (2).

The extra cost of disability is driven by:

• The higher cost of buying specialist equipment, including wheelchairs, hoists, and home adaptations.
• The higher usage of everyday essentials like energy.
• And paying over the odds for taxis (because of often inaccessible public transport), insurance or accessible food products.

The situation is compounded by a welfare system that isn’t providing adequate levels of financial support.

Disability activist and Scope ambassador Shani Dhanda said:

“I’ve personally calculated that being disabled costs me an extra £13,000 a year.

“That’s a huge amount of money in anyone’s book and means that I effectively work for 54 days a year for free.

“These extra costs include higher energy bills, and expensive equipment; accessible and specialist clothes; taxis where public transport lets me down; and a premium on insurance.
“Last year my already high energy bills went up by £1,284.

“The price tag that comes with disability should shame us all, and it’s clear that we need action. We all want to live our lives to the full, contribute to society and get on in life. Extra costs make that increasingly difficult.”

The consequences of these extra costs can be catastrophic.

Examples that Scope has heard include:

• A helpline caller who hadn’t eaten for three days
• A family with a disabled child - who has lots of life saving equipment like a feeding pump - facing bills of £6,000 a year.
• Disabled people cutting back on showering and only eating cold meals.
• Disabled people who have to spend extra on prescriptions and taxis to hospital appointments.

Scope believes that ending the extra cost of disability needs to be an urgent political priority.

The charity is calling for:

• A commitment from Government to prioritise tackling the extra cost of disability. This must first focus on designing a welfare system that lifts disabled households out of poverty.
• The creation of an Energy Social Tariff for disabled households. A discounted rate for disabled people who need to use more energy, to target financial support to people who need it most.
• Action from businesses and regulators to make sure that disabled people don’t pay over the odds for everyday essential services and have fair and affordable access to goods.

James Taylor, executive director of social change at disability equality charity Scope, said:

“We have known for a long time that life costs more if you are disabled.

“The current cost of living crisis and dizzying price rises for food, drink and energy has only exacerbated the financial challenges faced by disabled households.

"Disabled households are almost £1,000 worse off a month than non-disabled households as a result of the extra cost of disability. And this is after taking benefit payments into account, like PIP.

“Growing numbers of disabled households are falling into poverty as a result of trying to meet their extra costs. Scope’s helplines are inundated. We’re talking to people who are sitting in the dark, eating one meal a day and don’t know which way to turn.

“Action to reduce the cost of disability by government, by companies and by regulators has been promised in the past but has not been delivered. It is clear the system is failing.

“Driving down and ending the extra cost of disability now needs to be a political priority so that every disabled person can participate in society and reach their potential. We can’t shy away from action any longer.”

Notes to editors:

(1) How we calculated the extra costs facing disabled households?
In calculating this latest Disability Price Tag figure, we have used a Standard of Living approach consistent with our previous research and academic work on extra costs, poverty and poverty premiums.

The extra cost of disability is measured by comparing the difference in the standard of living between disabled and non-disabled households. We measured the standard of living based on households’ ability to afford key items or conduct essential tasks, such as purchasing household contents insurance and repairing or replacing broken electrical goods, as well as having small amounts to spend each week and enough to save a little.

We define ‘extra costs’ as the additional amount of money a disabled household would need to have the same standard of living of a non-disabled household.

Our analysis takes into account factors such as location, employment situation and income levels. This means we are confident that difference in standard of living, and the amount of money needed to achieve the same standard of living is because of disability-related costs.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from Scope analysis of the Family Resources Survey 2019/20.

Changes to our methodology
Scope’s previous Disability Price Tag research published in 2019, and based on analysis of the Family Resources Survey 2016/17, found an average extra cost of £583 (per person) per month. However, our latest figure of £975 a month is non-comparable as we have developed and revised our modelling.

The new methodology looks at disabled households, rather than individuals, looks at median incomes and, includes disabled people of all ages. This new methodology provides a more accurate estimate of the extra cost of disability.
If we recalculate our previous figure using our new approach, our new baseline average extra cost was £645. Suggesting a rise of £330 over three years to our current figure of £975 for 2019/2020.

(2) Impact of inflation
If this figure is updated to account for inflation over the current period 2022/2023, these extra costs rise to £1,122 per month. The Consumer Price Index inflation rate of 15.1% was used to estimate inflation from 2019/20 to 2022/23