Exhausted and in pain, Vince Ashton struggles as he makes the short walk from the bus stop to his local Tesco. It’s late but he’s hoping to find some yellow-stickered items – the only food he can afford to buy at the moment.
The 50-year-old, from Ramsbottom, suffers from multiple sclerosis. The lifelong condition, which affects his brain and nerves, means he gets tired easily, has vision problems and difficulty walking.
The disease cannot be cured, but medicines and other treatments can help ease some of the symptoms – including a healthy diet.
Those with MS are advised to eat fruit and veg daily and avoid processed foods. But dad-of-three Vince, who is struggling with the rising cost of living, can only afford to eat whatever he finds in the reduced section. His last shop included discounted turkey slices.
“I’m just scraping by,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “I almost feel as if I’m living day-by-day; I can’t plan for the future. It makes me feel inadequate. It’s like you’re being penalised for being ill.”
Vince was diagnosed with relapsing MS in November 2011. He first noticed symptoms of the disease when he lost the use of his right leg but put it down to a sporting injury.
He visited a physiotherapist who advised he go to hospital. Sadly, an MRI scan later showed Vince had multiple sclerosis – forcing him to give up his career as a paediatric nurse.
Due to his disability and being out of work, Vince claims Personal Independence Payment, but says it’s barely enough to scrape buy. No longer able to afford healthy food, he’s seen a drastic decline in his physical and mental health.
“I’m meant to have a low saturated fat diet, but the problem is that it costs a lot more money than it does to eat unhealthy food,” he added.
“Gradually, over this year, the prices have increased. I always try and go to the supermarkets towards the end of the day for the expired things. I end up buying the fried foods rather than eating healthy.
“I do worry about it. I’ve noticed a decline in my health, absolutely. It also makes me less active.”
Vince is now urging people to back an emergency campaign #BreakingPoint – calling on the UK government to step up and help people with MS get through the winter.
He added: “It affects your mental health a lot, it’s really hard. I’m trying to follow a diet to help my MS but it’s very expensive, sometimes I just have to eat whatever’s available. The diet includes a lot of fish and healthy foods, but it’s so much cheaper to eat rubbish – which makes my fatigue worse.
“I’ve had to reduce the amount of heating I use and I’m worried about how cold it might get over the winter. I used to have a house cleaner but I can’t afford that anymore and the place is starting to look a bit of a tip. There should be more money and support to help with that sort of thing. I need to be able to maintain a standard of life.”
Those with MS often spend more on utilities in order to have the same standard of living as everyone else – for example charging medical equipment and keeping the heating on to maintain circulation.
This means that increasing costs, like energy bills, can hit people with MS even harder than others. As the cost of living crisis continues to worsen, the MS Society is now arguing more support is necessary to alleviate the worst impacts of the crisis over the winter.
Anastasia Berry, policy manager at the MS Society, said: “This is a tough time for everyone, but people with MS are being hit especially hard by the cost of living crisis. Skyrocketing bills are pushing many into crushing debt, and forcing them to make devastating choices between essentials like food, fuel and medication. Living with MS is relentless, painful and disabling, people with MS are left wondering how they’ll survive the winter.
“The situation is critical and an emergency response is required. Cutting taxes and freezing energy bills is simply not enough, and will not help those who are unable to work or already drowning in debt.
“We urge the government to step up and do more. They must introduce a new cost of living support package to bring people back from #BreakingPoint.”
To sign the petition calling on the government to provide targeted financial support to disabled people, visit www.mssociety.org.uk/breakingpoint .
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