Almost a quarter of Brits live with a disability, but according to disability charity Scope, being disabled costs more.
Its research shows that the average disabled household needs an additional £1,010 a month to enjoy the same standard of living as non-disabled households. This adds up to an extra £12,120 annually.
These extra costs can be because disabled people need to have the heating on more, not to mention the additional cost of complementary therapies and travelling to appointments.
And news that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is making it tougher to claim the full amount of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) has not been welcomed by disabled people who are already finding it difficult thanks to soaring energy bills.
Now a website offering discounts just for disabled people is hoping to help address the extra financial burdens they face by offering money off food shopping, transport and utility bills.
Purpl, the first discount site for disabled people in the UK, offers exclusive savings which can help members save hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, a year.
Based on the average income, disabled households can save £118 per month and £1,411 over the year by using the full range of Purpl discounts on offer.
The site was set up by Georgina Colman, founder of Purpl who became frustrated after realising she was spending more every month as a disabled person. “After becoming diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I realised how expensive life is as a disabled person.,” she says.
“Take me as an example, I spend money every month on therapies. I go to neuro-physiotherapy twice a month, as well as having sports massages, chiropractic appointments and other alternative therapies. I need my heating on more as my body does not function well in the cold.
“I spend money on equipment like walking aids and assisted technologies as well as on supplements and ‘free from’ food.
“These are not luxuries for me, they help reduce the inflammation and spasticity in my body which keeps me able to move more and improves my quality of life. With the current talks about welfare support, disabled people may have even more financial pressure in the future.”
And it’s easy to start saving money. To access the exclusive discounts, people need to sign up for Purpl, and verify their disability status with something to verify that they receive PIP, DLA, have a Blue Badge, Disabled Bus Pass, Disabled Persons Railcard or Access Card.
Once they’ve done this they are able to save £118 per month and over £1,400 per year with deals on Sky, Hoover, EasyJet and Morrisons.
Meanwhile, PIP claimants could be missing out on £622 in benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). People who don’t receive the maximum PIP may not be aware that if their condition has worsened they could be eligible for an increase in monthly payments of up to £622.40.
PIP is assessed based on how your condition or disability affects your daily lifestyle, not just the illness itself. GOV.UK guidance states: “As the assessment principles consider the impact of a claimant’s condition on their ability to live independently and not the condition itself, claimants with the same condition may get different outcomes. The outcome is based on an independent assessment and all available evidence.”
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