The Hidden Costs Of Additional Needs

In a previous article, I discussed the Cost Of Living Crisis, and its added implications for people who have Additional Needs (Disabilities).

This inspired me to write an article about what is known as the ‘Hidden Costs’ of Additional Needs, and why they can be difficult to pay.

The U.K. disability charity, Scope, defines ‘Hidden Costs’ of Additional Needs as any need to spend money that is incurred exclusively due to a person’s Additional Need(s). These needs to spend are not always obvious, hence why they are known as ‘Hidden Costs’.

One Hidden Cost is someone who has a physical condition having to put the heating on for longer and/or more often than someone who does not have Additional Needs.

My Cerebral Palsy means that if my joints get cold, my chronic pain gets worse. Putting extra layers on isn’t always effective and rarely warms the right areas of the body. As a result, I often find myself having to put the heating on more than the average person.

In addition, I have a range of equipment that I’m dependent on that requires electricity that heavily impacts my energy bill. Some of it needs to be charged whilst other pieces of equipment need to be connected to the mains at all times – charging a powered wheelchair, hoist, electric chair etc.

This equipment is essential to maintaining my disability, managing pain and fatigue, mobility and independence.

All of this equipment is absolutely essential for me. This is because without it, I cannot be mobile, or rested enough to be able to function enough day to day and to work.

Hidden Costs have become harder for a lot of people who have Additional Needs to manage in recent years. This has only been magnified since the beginning of the Cost Of Living Crisis.

The Cost Of Living Crisis is what economists and the public are calling the combined effect of the U.K’s highest rate of inflation in 41 years, higher taxes, not high enough wages. The Cost Of Living Crisis basically means that people are struggling to buy or pay for basic things. This

can include electricity and heating bills.

People with Additional Needs have no choice but to plug in and charge and use their essential equipment – this has an additional impact on energy bills – bills that have become far harder to pay since the Cost of Living Crisis began.

My costs are just examples of increased energy usage for those with Additional Needs. Often people experience other costs too, including funding the use of equipment to assist with breathing, feeding and more.

A local resident I spoke to who asked to remain anonymous, explained that they have the  Hidden Cost of having to buy more fuel. This is because they have to use their car a lot more than the average person, due to their disability.

They said that as a; “…Result of the rising prices of food, fuel & energy, I made less trips to the supermarket and tried to stretch out the food I bought so I would spend less every month on food…but I have very specific dietary needs for my disability”

If someone has to cut down on how often they go food shopping, it could mean that they are buying not enough food to sustain themselves. They could also feel the need to make the shopping trip go further, by getting cheaper food that doesn’t meet the needs of their disability.

Both of these could mean that the person in question is not eating enough or not getting enough nutritional value for their body and/or circumstances. As the National Health Service points out, not getting enough nutritional value for your body could have a negative effect on physical and mental health, especially over the long term.

While the Hidden Costs I have mentioned above are crucial to us being able to function properly, they only enhance our lives, our lives do not depend on them. However, I have heard of people who rely on breathing equipment throughout the night. This equipment will inevitably generate a Hidden Cost, search as a higher energy bill.

Hidden costs have for a long time been a real challenge for people with Additional Needs – the cost of living crisis is adding additional pressure and creating situations where people are far from having their most basic needs met.