Families raising disabled children are "struggling to survive" in cost-of-living crisis
Nine in 10 are struggling or falling behind on their regular household bills, according to recent survey
Last updated 13th Oct 2022
Families raising disabled or seriously ill children are "struggling to survive" due to the scale of the cost-of-living crisis, a charity said.
A survey of 4,264 families with a disabled child by Family Fund found that nine in 10 are struggling or falling behind on their regular household bills.
Many are going without living essentials such as food and heating and basic household equipment such as washing machines and fridges to try to make ends meet.
54% of parents report skipping or cutting the size of their meals - a 9% increase since September last year.
13% of parents say they have had to cut back on items that are essential for their disabled children.
Four in five of the families are in debt, with 40% reporting they cannot afford to keep their homes warm - a 13% increase since last December.
On average, families raising a disabled child live on £17,000 a year and spend 60 hours a week in a caring role, with one third caring for more than 100 hours a week, the charity said.
Fewer than one in four parents and carers are able to work full time, with more than half not able to work at all.
Costs are becoming more difficult especially with winter approaching
The charity said the strain on families was "unsustainable".
Family Fund chief executive Cheryl Ward said: "The outlook for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child is now graver than ever.
“They are unsure how to cope with ever-rising caring costs with winter approaching, they are having to borrow more credit to pay for intense levels of debt and feeling more isolated than ever, with worsening mental and physical health.
"These are families on the lowest of incomes, due to caring for their children round the clock and having far-reduced available support services, post-pandemic.
"When caring costs have spiralled so far out of control that families are having to cut back on the very essentials their disabled child needs, something has to change.
"Along with our sector partners, we are urging Government to ensure that family benefits are increased in line with inflation, rather than reducing at a time when the escalating costs of caring are already jeopardising families' lives."
More on the cost-of-living crisis:
Interest rates and inflation go up
Inflation rose by 8.8% in the 12 months to January 2023, down from 9.2% in December 2022. With interest rates also rising to 4%, those saving money will earn more interest on their finances, whilst those paying mortgages would pay more interest to the bank.
Energy bills
The price of energy went up incredibly as the cost of living crisis hit, with the gas price spike caused largely by the war in Ukraine. The price cap - which is set by an independent regulator to help offset costs onto customers - was set to rise to £3,549 for an average home in October but a price freeze from the government restricted the typical bill to £2,500. That's still an increase of 27% from the previous energy cap and as it's a cap on unit cost, the more energy you use the higher your bill will be.
Food prices
The cost of a weekly shop also has gone up as a result of the cost of living crisis. As a result of the war in Ukraine, a number of products including cooking oils and wheat have been disrupted. This means that several products are now considerably more expensive, driving bills up for customers.
Prices at the pumps
The average cost of petrol has also rose to unprecedented levels. Supply lines for petrol have been thrown into doubt as a result of the war in Ukraine, as Russia is a large export partner for gas, oil and fuel. In April 2022, the average price for a litre of petrol on the forecourt was 160.2p, whilst a litre of diesel would cost 170.5p. By late June 2022 the price had risen to an average of 190.9p for a litre of unleaded and 198.9p for a litre of diesel. In March 2023 the price wass on average of 147.03 in petrol and 167.04 in diesel.
Average cost of filling up a car with petrol hits £100
On 9th June 2022, the average cost of filling up a car with petrol hit £100 for the first time ever. Diesel had already hit that milestone. It comes as the cost of fuel hit a record high of one pound eighty a litre. The 2p rise was the biggest daily jump in 17 years. Prices have dropped by at least 20p per litre since the high point.