Disabled people face soaring extra costs, says Scope

Disabled people in the UK are paying what charity Scope calls a “disability price tag”. This is the unavoidable extra money needed to live the same standard of life as non-disabled people.

New research shows disabled households need an extra £1,095 every month. These costs take up around two-thirds of the average disabled household’s income. Even when benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are counted, there is still a gap of £630 each month.

These costs are not luxuries. They cover basics such as heating, transport, care and home adaptations. Scope says this constant drain prevents disabled people from saving money, building security, or enjoying the same opportunities as others.

The government is planning changes to Universal Credit health payments and PIP, set out in the Pathways to Work green paper, which is opposed by PCS. Scope’s research warns that these changes will make things worse. Around 400,000 disabled people could lose money. The average loss is £4,500 a year. Some people could lose as much as £520 a month in PIP, or £6,240 a year by 2029–30. If these cuts go ahead, many households will face extra costs of £1,224 a month with no PIP support to cover them.

The report shows the disability price tag is going up, not down. By 2029–30, the average shortfall between income and costs could reach almost £700 a month. These figures are based on official forecasts of inflation and living costs. They show a long-term problem that will not fix itself.

Not all disabled households are affected in the same way. The poorest disabled households face extra costs worth 202% of their income after housing costs. This means they are forced into debt or forced to go without essentials. Even the wealthiest disabled households face extra costs of around £287 a month, about 9 per cent of their income. Disabled people aged 25 to 35 face the highest costs of all, averaging £1,463 a month. This comes at a time when many are trying to build their adult lives. People aged 45 to 54 also face high costs, over £1,200 a month, often while supporting children or ageing parents.

Scope says this problem cannot be solved by benefits alone. The extra costs of disability are rising each year and affect millions of households. The charity argues that society must look at the bigger picture: how to make sure disabled people can live on an equal footing, with fair access to housing, work, transport and security. Without action, the gap will continue to grow, leaving disabled people with an unfair financial burden for years to come.