{"id":17169,"date":"2022-12-09T08:40:29","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T08:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/?page_id=17169"},"modified":"2026-03-26T14:11:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T14:11:06","slug":"one-in-five-families-caring-for-a-disabled-family-member-say-they-will-cancel-their-christmas-celebrations-this-year-as-new-research-reveals-the-impact-of-the-cost-of-living-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/uncategorized\/one-in-five-families-caring-for-a-disabled-family-member-say-they-will-cancel-their-christmas-celebrations-this-year-as-new-research-reveals-the-impact-of-the-cost-of-living-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"One in five families caring for a disabled family member say they will cancel their Christmas celebrations this year, as new research reveals the impact of the cost-of-living crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n  <div class=\"wp-block  box    is-style-textured-green-tint-10\">    <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"iconList  iconList--big\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/coins_Orange_RGB.svg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Orange coins\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p>Over half (51 per cent) of family carers in the UK are now in debt, with three in five (61 per cent) unable to afford to keep their home adequately warm<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Megaphone_Orange-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"megaphone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Megaphone_Orange-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Megaphone_Orange-450x450.png 450w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Megaphone_Orange-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Megaphone_Orange-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Megaphone_Orange.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p>Sense is calling for targeted support for disabled households, including an Energy Social Tariff to offer a discounted rate for disabled people<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>London, UK, 09 December 2022<\/strong> \u2013 A fifth (22 per cent) of families in the UK that care for a disabled family member say they will not celebrate Christmas this year, due to the cost-of-living crisis. That\u2019s according to new research by the national disability charity, Sense, which reveals the unprecedented pressure on disabled households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over a thousand families that care for a disabled family member were surveyed by Sense, with over half (51 per cent) admitting to being in debt, and more than a third (35 per cent) skipping meals to save money. Three in five (61 per cent) families said they were unable to afford to keep their home adequately warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With two thirds (68 per cent) of families admitting to being unsure how they\u2019ll cope over the winter, it will be little surprise that many are not looking forward to Christmas. Over a third (38 per cent) said they will not buy Christmas presents, and a fifth (22 per cent) said they will cancel celebrations all together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last month, the Government announced further one-off payments to help with rising costs, as well as a commitment to increase benefits in-line with inflation. However, the increase will not come into effect until April, leaving millions of disabled households struggling to afford food and energy this winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Disabled people face higher living and energy costs. More energy is used to run essential equipment, such as breathing machines and feeding pumps, whilst heating is vital for those who can\u2019t regulate their own body temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sense is calling for more targeted support for disabled people, with the introduction of a new social tariff to lower the cost of energy bills for disabled households who face higher energy usage because of their individual needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"wp-block  box    is-style-textured-red-tint-10\">    <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p><strong>Richard Kramer, Sense Chief Executive, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen families are struggling to keep their homes adequately warm, we shouldn\u2019t be surprised that many are cancelling Christmas plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone has been affected by the rising costs, but disabled households were under pressure even before this crisis, and now many don\u2019t know how they\u2019ll get through winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The introduction of the Energy Price Guarantee prevented bills rising to disastrous levels, however, it is not designed to recognise that some disabled households will need to use more energy than the average household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We want to see the establishment of an social tariff for energy, which offers a <a>discounted rate for disabled people who need to use more energy.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Targeted support is something we urgently need, so that disabled households are able to heat their homes and enjoy the festive period.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Sense's chief executive, Richard Kramer, in conversation with another man with his back to the camera.\" class=\"wp-image-10701\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Richard-Kramer-3-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Richard Kramer, Sense Chief Executive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Earlier this year, Sense, for the first time in the charity\u2019s history, provided emergency financial support to families living with a loved-one with complex disabilities. Over 60 thousand people have signed a Sense petition calling on the government to provide targeted support to disabled households. For more information visit: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/CostOfLiving\">www.sense.org.uk\/CostOfLiving<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"wp-block  box    is-style-textured-grey-tint-10\">    <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Case study<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tesdale family<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Anna Teasdale and Charlie similing towards the camera\" class=\"wp-image-17159\"\/ style=\"object-position: 86.76% 38.95%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-450x450.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-1600x1600.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Anna-Tesdale-and-Charlie-1-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna Tesdale, 40, lives in Chesterfield in Derbyshire with her three children, Mac, 15, George, 18, and Charlie, 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her eldest, Charlie, was diagnosed with SPG11 five years ago, and Anna says his needs impact his siblings in ways that are growing with the cost-of-living crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna said: \u201cCharlie can\u2019t monitor his own temperature, so he gets cold easily and if he gets too cold, he could go hypothermic. That\u2019s why we\u2019re so careful and have an electric heater to heat his room properly, but we can\u2019t always afford to heat the rest of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, Mac and George didn\u2019t understand why the house was so cold, but Charlie\u2019s room had heat and Anna had to honestly explain the situation to her children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI told them that because of his illness he needs to be warm. It\u2019s hard because of course I want to have the heating on full-time for all my kids. Especially when it\u2019s cold and dark outside, I just want them to be able to come home to a warm house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last month, Anna really started to notice an increase in the cost of gas and electricity, just as the days got darker and colder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have a meter and it\u2019s never bothered me because it\u2019s always been manageable,\u201d she says, \u201cbut now I put money on it, and it\u2019s gone straight away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the cost of living goes up any further, Anna does not know how she will cope. She already skips meals to make food last and is buying cheaper frozen meals instead of the fresh produce the family would have had in the past.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Anna, taking things day-by-day is a coping mechanism as the future is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve done everything I can, like contacting power companies and being put on priority lists, but I can\u2019t plan for anything else. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll cope with more rises in January and April.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople don\u2019t understand how important benefits are to families like mine. Everyone is struggling, but a divide is being created and people on benefits are being vilified. It\u2019s heart-breaking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going into the festive season, Anna knows things need to be different this year. Her children will receive fewer presents than usual, and the treats that they would normally have at this time of year will not be possible due to the rising costs of everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNormally I\u2019d be buying lots of little bits but this year it\u2019s one or two things each, and I\u2019m not doing presents for the adults in the family. It\u2019s not a massive deal for me but for the kids it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Anna\u2019s children are understanding, and she describes them as being incredible in a difficult situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy middle child has asked for pick and mix sweets this year, because he understands that things are different. We go through so much I just want to treat him and make things special for him, but I\u2019ll do that in other ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna\u2019s sister and mum live nearby, so they will gather as a family and celebrate Christmas together. This, Anna says, is what\u2019s most important.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Media enquiries:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information, please contact <a href=\"mailto:damian.field@sense.org.uk\">damian.field@sense.org.uk<\/a> 07957 910 471<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Notes to editor:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research was conducted by Censuswide, on behalf of Sense.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1,007 disabled respondents across the UK were surveyed between 25.11.2022 &#8211; 30.11.2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Sense:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sense is a national disability charity that supports people living with complex disabilities, including those who are deafblind, to communicate and experience the world. Sense supports children, young people and adults in their home and in the community, in their education and transition to adulthood and through its holidays, arts, sports and wellbeing programmes. In addition to practical support to families, Sense also offers information advice, short breaks and family events, and campaigns for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life. For more information, please visit www.sense.org.uk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>London, UK, 09 December 2022 \u2013 A fifth (22 per cent) of families in the UK that care for a disabled family member say they will not celebrate Christmas this year, due to the cost-of-living crisis. That\u2019s according to new research by the national disability charity, Sense, which reveals the unprecedented pressure on disabled households. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"display_author":[],"class_list":["post-17169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17169\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17169"},{"taxonomy":"display_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/display_author?post=17169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}