Our cost of living calculations
The calculations below show energy costs alone, and do not account for the inflationary rise in transport and food costs.
We believe the government must act immediately to stop the cost of living crisis becoming a public health emergency for many more disabled people.
High energy users:
£3483.10 average cost for high energy users, based on Energy Price Guarantee from 1 October 2022.**
£1777.40 average cost for high energy users, based on cap pre-April 2022.***
£1705.70 Additional energy costs in October 2022 compared to pre-April 2022.
Disabled person drawing on Universal Credit
Government and wider support to date:
- £400 All households energy bills.
- £150 Council Tax Rebate
- £650 Universal Credit
- £150 Disability payment
- £150 Warm Home Discount
Total: £1,500.
Additional costs for a disabled person with high energy usage since April 2022, after government support:
£97.50 surplus to help meet other inflationary costs.
Disabled person not drawing on Universal Credit, but eligible for Warm Home Discount (WHD)*
Government and wider support to date:
- £400 All households energy bills.
- £150 Council Tax Rebate.
- £150 Disability payment.
- £150 Warm Home Discount.
Total: £850.
Additional costs for a disabled person with high energy usage since April 2022, after government support:
£855.70 extra to find per year (since April 2022) (Or £16.45 per week).
Disabled person not drawing on Universal Credit, and not eligible for Warm Home Discount (WHD)*
Government and wider support to date:
- £400 All households energy bills.
- £150 Council Tax Rebate.
- £150 Disability payment.
Total: £700.
Additional costs for a disabled person with high energy usage since April 2022, after government support:
£1,005.70 to find per year (since April 2022) (Or £19.34 per week).
* The government has revised its eligibility for the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which entitles disabled people on low incomes to £150 to help with energy bills over the winter. However, the revision of the eligibility criteria means that 290,000 disabled people claiming PIP will no longer receive this support.
**Leonard Cheshire research conducted by Savanta ComRes in February 2022 shows that 36% (3.3 million) of working age disabled people report they need to keep heating on more often due to their disability, rising to 61% of people with dexterity conditions, 56% chronic health condition, 55% of those with chronic pain conditions and 54% mobility restrictions.
We can therefore project that this cohort may be classed as ‘high energy users’, using more energy than the ‘average household’ by which government and Ofgem energy cap projections are based. British Gas bases its 'High' users on an average annual consumption of: Gas = 17,000 kWh and Electricity = 4,300 kWh.
Under the government's new Energy Price Guarantee the average unit price for dual fuel customers paying by direct debit will be limited to 34.0p/kWh for electricity and 10.3p/kWh for gas, inclusive of VAT, from 1 October. Average standing charges for customers on default tariffs will remain capped at 46p per day for electricity and 28p per day for gas, for a typical dual fuel customer paying by direct debit.
*** Based on pre-April Ofgem cap Gas = 4.1p per kwh and Electricity = 20.8p and calculated on a higher user average of Gas = 17,000 kWh and Electricity = 4,300 kWh.