From April 1 energy prices will go up for millions of people and, while everyone is looking at ways to save money, for those with disabilities that isn't always an option. Emma Jones, her husband and son all have disabilities and share a home in Ebbw Vale.
For them, the changes have already started – as has the worry. Emma was diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome just before she turned 40. It is a condition which affects connective tissue and results in an increased range of joint movement, stretchy skin, and fragile skin that breaks or bruises easily. Her joints dislocate really easily and her condition means she can't work and the main source of comfort is heat, meaning keeping a warm home is crucial for her. She also takes baths to soothe her joints.
Her 24-year-old son Kyle, has autism and won't tell Emma if he's cold. "If you feel his hands they're always cold," she said. His main hobby is using his games console: "That's all he really does," his mum says. Her husband works as a carer for adults with autism and last year initially put his muscle pain down to a strain. After initial fears it was cancer tests revealed he had spondyloarthritis. Since then he has been on sick leave and is no longer eligible for full pay.
Read more: Sister's tribute to 'kind and generous' brother who took his own life
All that together means their energy bills are high and will remain so. Ofgem say those on default tariffs paying by direct debit will see an increase of £693 per year and pre-payment customers will see an increase of £708. You can see all the other changes coming into force in April here.
Emma has already seen the family's gas direct debit go up from £47 per month to £79 per month. They have a pre-paid electricity meter and used to spend around £10 a week but already that's up by around £5 a week. She has begun changing her habits at home, such as using the tumble dryer less to try save money or putting it on a short 30-minute cycle to take the edge off the washing and then drying outside too. "I'm just trying to cut down on things but there's only so much you can cut down on otherwise we'll be living in the freezing cold," she said. "We have an electric shower but I tend to use the bath more because of my joints and while standing in the shower is okay when I get out if it's cold or there's snow it will be agony."
For now she can cope but she says the unknown of what is to come, especially in winter, is what worries her – partly due to her condition, and that of her husband and son requiring either high electricity use or getting people in to help with physical jobs for which the cost is going up, but also because prices are expected to rise again from October. They have already cut back on the times their heating was on and lowered the thermostat.
They too are seeing the rise in their food bills. Kyle only eats limited types of food, which gets expensive as Emma can't deviate from that list or shop around. "It's going to come to the point where lots of people, by the end of the year, are choosing between heating and eating. My supplier made a huge profit last year and they knew everyone was at home because of Covid and they started raising their prices."
The family live in rented accommodation which means the measures announced in the Spring Statement are not likely to help them.
"When the chancellor gave the statement he gave money off heat pumps. Firstly that is only for people who have a spare £5,000 laying around," said Emma. "We have just come out of a pandemic and people have lost their jobs and they're expecting to shell out £5,000 for a heat pump that is only any good if you own your own home? The fuel duty was so small and so many petrol stations raised their prices 5p just so they weren't losing out."
