When Sue was diagnosed with cancer for the second time, her family’s finance became as she faced the hidden cost of cancer
When Sue was diagnosed with cancer in her femur back in 2023, the financial implications were not her immediate concern. However, with disabled households facing an extra £1,095 per month in living costs on average, the financial pressure quickly escalated.
The Cleveland-based 61 year old shared: “My daughter was just about to do her exams, and my son was at university, so it was a difficult time for us as a family. I remember feeling a mix of shock and sadness, but I didn’t feel like I could dwell on it because I didn’t want my sickness to further affect my kids’ future.”
Sue, who worked for the council, had to take sick leave to undergo chemotherapy, relying on sick pay to support her family initially. But when that money ran out, Sue found herself in dire straits, having to approach her bank directly.
She said: “I had to go to my bank, explain everything and hope they could help. I went to Santander, tears flowing down my face, scared and beaten down. Thankfully, they froze my £300-a-month mortgage for over a year, which took a huge weight off.”
In addition to this, Sue claimed Personal Independence Payments, a key DWP benefit for disabled people, which offers different amounts based on the impact of a person’s health issues. Initially, Sue received the lower rate, which scarcely covered her basic necessities like food and heating.
However, Sue wasn’t merely grappling with her regular household expenses, as the hidden cost of cancer began mounting up as well. The costs of travelling to and from her medical appointments were proving particularly challenging.
She explained: “Hospital transport was technically available, but I’d be picked up at 7:30 am for an 11:30 appointment just 12 minutes away, then left waiting until teatime to get home. That’s not sustainable when you’re undergoing exhausting treatments like daily chemotherapy or radiotherapy.”
Resolute in her efforts to balance the books, Sue began researching alternative methods to reduce her outgoings and discovered Purpl, a service providing special discounts exclusively for disabled people. By doing her regular shopping via this platform, she’s positioned to pocket £700 in savings this year.
She revealed: “I do a food shop twice a week and save £48 a month using the Morrisons code. In February, I needed a new freezer and saved £45 on it. I’ve also used the Domino’s Pizza code when I’m treating myself.”
Sue has now stepped into retirement and enjoys mortgage-free living, with fixed gas and electricity charges through Octopus to maintain predictable monthly costs. Nevertheless, she’s dipping into her savings to cover grocery deliveries.
Amidst the current pause on Labour’s controversial PIP reform, Sue expressed her fear about the potential impact of tighter eligibility rules that could strip some disabled people of their benefits. She voiced her concern: “What really scares me about the government’s current cuts to PIP is the thought that people may become isolated because they rely on it for taxis to the hospital or GP appointments.
“If they stop going, especially in winter, will people get ill or even die from hypothermia because they can’t afford to keep warm? And food! Prices are rising by tens of pence, not just pennies. Will people have to skip meals?”
Georgina Colman, who founded Purpl, said: “Hearing about experiences like Sue’s makes me proud, but also sad. I’m glad we’ve been able to support her, but the fact disabled people have to fight just to stay afloat is heartbreaking. And now, the government is making things harder with proposed PIP changes.
“As a disabled woman myself, I know firsthand how expensive life can be. That’s part of why I started Purpl. We’ve just celebrated our first year, and I hope we can keep making life a bit easier for people like Sue.”