Disabled People: Fuel Poverty and the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Disabled Population of Scotland: 

In 2015 to 2016, 22% (1.1 million) of people in Scotland said that they were disabled. The prevalence of disability rises with age.  

• Approximately 9% of children are disabled 

•  21% of working age adults are disabled  

• and 42% of adults over State Pension age 

Extra Costs of Disability 

Research by the disability charity Scope in 2019/20 (that is before the Cost-of-Living Crisis) found that – 

• On average, disabled households (with at least one disabled adult or child) needed an additional £975 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households. 

• If this figure is updated to account for inflation over the period 2022/2023, these extra costs rise to £1,122 per month. 

• The average additional costs in Scotland were the highest in any part of the UK. 

Disabled People and Poverty 

• In Scotland over 40% of children living in poverty come from a household containing a disabled adult or child. The child poverty rate is “stable”, that is it has neither risen nor fallen after the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment2. 

• According to the latest official figures In 2020-23 the poverty rate in Scotland was higher for individuals in households with a disabled person, when disability-related benefits are not included in the household income.  

• After housing costs, the poverty rate was 28% (660,000 people each year) for people living with a disabled household member, and 17% (510,000 people) for those without. 

• However, according to JRF once the extra costs of disability are taken into account nearly half (48%) of all those living in poverty in the UK are disabled people or live in a family with someone who is.  

• Three out of four Scots Trussell Trust foodbank users come from households containing a disabled person. 

• JRF research reveals that approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around 1 million children. 

• Disabled people are amongst those at the highest risk of destitution. 63% of all destitute survey respondents reported having a disability3.  

Disabled People and Fuel Poverty 

• Analysis by Scope in 2018 – before the recent huge rise in energy costs  – suggested that 4.1 million households containing disabled people spent over £1,500 a year on energy. 

• In comparison, at that time.  the average UK household spent £1,200.  

• Of these, 790,000 spent over £2,500 a year, over double the average household spend. 

The Health, Disability and the Energy Crisis report4, based on a YouGov survey commissioned by Consumer Scotland, found that: 

• 52% of Scots disabled people reported that they were unable to heat their homes to a comfortable level compared with 36% of non-disabled people. 

• 47% of Scots disabled people reported that they were struggling to keep up with their energy bills compared with 29% of non-disabled people. 

• 47% of Scots disabled people reported that they had cut back on food compared with 32% of non-disabled people. 

• 72% of Scots disabled people reported the energy crisis had an impact on their mental health compared with 64% of non-disabled people.  

• 68% also said the energy crisis was having an impact on their physical health compared with 54% of non-disabled people. 

Medical equipment costs 

• Many disabled people use medical equipment – ventilators, oxygen concentrators, dialysis machines or other devices – to manage their condition and symptoms at home. 

• Compared to an average household, powering these devices alone might add anywhere from 13% to 32% onto the cost of an average energy bill.  

• Research by Marie Curie (in England and Wales) found that a person’s energy bill can increase by as much as 75% after a terminal illness diagnosis. 

• This means that many terminally ill people were paying as much as £3,500 pa for energy last year.  

• Research by Children’s Hospices Across Scotland showed that families with terminally ill children faced similar costs in Scotland. 

• As a consequence 90,000 terminally ill people died in poverty last year. 

Some Solutions 

• Take-up: Benefits, money and fuel poverty advice in health settings & schools  – particularly “special schools” for those with ASN should become standard and receive long term, secure funding. 

• Additional investment in social housing. High rents in the private rented sector and higher mortgage costs means that there’s an even greater need for good quality, accessible, energy-efficient housing which is genuinely affordable. 

• Increase the Winter Heating Payment to £100. The advantages are that no separate claim would have to be made and over half of the 400,000 eligible households contain a disabled adult and/or child.  

• Implement and roll-out the Warm Homes’ Prescription model. As  a preventative measure this would protect disabled people’s health and prevent them from being hospitalised at great expense to the NHS and risk to themselves.  

• Meet the fuel costs of those using medical equipment at home.    

Bill Scott, 

1/4/24