Being disabled is expensive. Not “a bit pricier” expensive — I mean crippling, impossible, choosing-between-food-and-heating expensive.
It’s called the disability price tag. And it’s not just a few quid here and there. Research shows that disabled households face hundreds more in costs every single month — just to survive.
But numbers don’t tell the full story. Let’s talk about what that looks like in real life.
Paying More to Live Less
Need to keep medical equipment plugged in 24/7? Congratulations: your energy bills skyrocket. Can’t stand for long so you need online food delivery? Pay delivery fees every week. Use a mobility aid? The price is marked up as if freedom was a luxury item.
Meanwhile, your non-disabled neighbour pays less for almost everything. We’re punished at every turn for the audacity of being alive.
Mobility Aids: The “Disability Tax” in Action
Let’s talk wheelchairs, walking sticks, and all the gear we need. You’d think these essentials would be subsidised, or at least fairly priced. Instead, we get slapped with obscene markups.
A basic folding wheelchair can cost £300–£500. A powered one? Thousands. Even “simple” things like cushions, rails, or shower seats are treated like designer goods.
I’ve seen more honesty and fairness from car dealerships than from some of these suppliers.
That’s why I point people to options like:
- [Mobility-Aids.com](INSERT AFFILIATE LINK) – actual mobility products at reasonable rates.
- [Vive Health](INSERT AFFILIATE LINK) – cheaper alternatives for daily living aids, plus decent delivery times.
They’re not miracle cures. But they’re better than being rinsed by companies who think disabled people are cash machines.
Energy Poverty Kills
We’re told to “cut back on usage” when the truth is many of us can’t. Oxygen machines, feeding pumps, CPAP devices — they don’t run on goodwill.
And in winter, when conditions flare and joints seize, turning the heating off isn’t an option. It’s survival. Yet the bills keep rising, and the government acts like £10 in “energy support” makes it all fine.
Disabled people freeze to death in their homes. But sure — let’s pretend it’s about “personal responsibility.”
The Food Trap
Cheap food is often inaccessible food. If you’re allergic, diabetic, or need soft-textured meals, your options vanish — or cost double. Can’t get to the shops? Add delivery charges. Can’t cook from scratch because of fatigue or mobility? Ready meals it is, and they’ll drain your bank faster than anything.
We’re told to “budget better” while spending twice as much for half as much nutrition.
The Cost of Just Existing in Public
Blue Badge fees. Taxis that charge extra for ramps. The sheer cost of accessible tickets for events — if we’re lucky enough to even get them.
Meanwhile, non-disabled people can take a bus for £2, stroll into venues without issue, and never think about it again.
Existing in public costs us money. And energy. And dignity.
The Welfare Trap
Let’s not forget benefits. While we’re bleeding money from every angle, the government’s answer is to cut support. Assessments are rigged to strip people of payments. Appeals drag on for months.
Even when we “win,” the money barely touches the sides of what life actually costs. And while you’re waiting? Bills pile up, debt collectors circle, food banks become lifelines.
So, What’s the Point?
The point is this: being disabled in Britain doesn’t just mean you’re ill or injured. It means you’re financially punished every single day for it.
We’re forced to crowdfund medical equipment. Forced to choose between heating and eating. Forced to drown in debt because we had the audacity to survive something that made us disabled in the first place.
This isn’t a personal failing. It’s a political choice.
A Small Rebellion
I can’t tear down the system overnight. But I can share what helps me and others shave some of these obscene costs down.
- [Mobility-Aids.com](INSERT AFFILIATE LINK) – everything from ramps to wheelchairs, without the ridiculous markup.
- [Vive Health](INSERT AFFILIATE LINK) – affordable daily living and health products.
- [Amazon UK Disability Aids](INSERT AFFILIATE LINK) – because sometimes the fastest delivery wins.
Yes, these are affiliate/referral links. That means if you buy through them, you don’t pay extra, but a percentage comes back to keep Forgotten Rights running. Think of it as a tiny act of resistance: refusing to let the “disability tax” bleed us dry without at least fighting back.
Final Word
We didn’t choose to be disabled. We didn’t choose the extra costs, the broken system, or the endless financial punishment.
But we can choose to speak out. To call it what it is: exploitation. And to refuse to stay silent about a society that bankrupts its most vulnerable.
Because if surviving costs this much, then survival itself has become political.
Forgotten Rights Fighting for sick and disabled people in the UK. 📌 [About This Blog] | [Support Us] | [Privacy Policy] | [Contact] 💬 Want to help? Support our work via [Ko-fi] or [Patreon]. ⚖️ Disclaimer: Content on Forgotten Rights is for awareness and advocacy only. It should not be taken as legal or medical advice. © 2025 Forgotten Rights. All rights reserved. ⚖️ Resources Scope DPAC Inclusion London Disability Rights UK Citizens Advice Disability News Service WOW Campaign 📊 ONS Data | EHRC 💡 How to add it: WordPress (widgets) → go to Appearance → Widgets → Sidebar → add a Custom HTML/Text widget → paste the snippet. WordPress (block themes) → go to Appearance → Editor → Template Parts → Sidebar → add a block with the code. Blogger → go to Layout → Sidebar → Add a Gadget (HTML/JavaScript) → paste it. That way, it’s always visible next to your posts, so readers can click straight to help or activism links.