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© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
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© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
14 min read
Written by
Georgina, Founder of Purpl
Published on
July 17, 2026
Last reviewed: 17 July 2026
Applies to: UK
Written by: Georgina, Founder of Purpl
Living with a disability or long term health condition can make household bills much harder to manage. The fastest way to reduce the disability price tag is to combine official support, supplier schemes, benefit-linked help, VAT relief and verified disability discounts, rather than trying to cut back on essentials you genuinely need.
This guide takes you through 10 practical ways to reduce household costs, including broadband social tariffs, the Priority Services Register, WaterSure, Warm Home Discount, VAT relief on disability equipment, supermarket delivery savings and Purpl member discounts.
At Purpl, we know disabled people are not “choosing” to spend more. You cannot simply stop using medical equipment, skip heating when cold makes pain worse, or avoid delivery fees if fatigue, mobility, pain or anxiety makes supermarket trips impossible.
Research from Scope estimates that disabled households face an average extra cost of £1,095 a month, even after disability benefits are taken into account. This is known as the Disability Price Tag.
That is why this guide is not about unrealistic budgeting advice. It is about knowing what support exists, what you may be entitled to, and where you can reduce the extra costs that should never have been placed on you in the first place.
Purpl members can also access our UK Disability Benefits & Support Handbook, alongside verified discounts from brands that support disabled people, people with long term health conditions and carers. Not a member? Sign up today for £1 a month and be part of something that makes a difference.
Household bills often cost more when you are disabled because the basics are not always optional. You may need more heating, more laundry, more water, more home deliveries, more equipment, more charging of devices, or more reliable broadband and phone access just to live safely.
The disability price tag often shows up in small, repeated costs that other households may never think about.
That might mean:
This is why disabled people can do everything “right” and still feel like their money disappears faster than everyone else’s. Scope’s Disability Price Tag research shows how significant these extra costs can be.
Purpl Insight: It’s not a budgeting issue
Disabled people are not bad at budgeting. Many of us are paying extra because the world has not been designed around our access, health or care needs.
You can claim a broadband social tariff by checking whether your provider offers a cheaper package for people receiving certain benefits, then asking to switch. Social tariffs are lower-cost broadband or phone packages offered by providers to eligible customers.
Ofcom explains that social tariffs are delivered in the same way as normal broadband packages, but at a lower monthly price. People claiming Universal Credit can usually switch to any available social tariff, and some providers also accept other benefits.
Some providers may accept benefits such as:
Broadband is not a luxury for many disabled people. It is how we book medical appointments, manage prescriptions, access online banking, work from home, speak to support services, use video calls and stay connected when leaving the house is difficult.
Before switching, check:
Explore your options: Purpl members can also check broadband and digital offers through our secure member dashboard, including partners such as Broadband Genie when available. This can be helpful if you do not qualify for a social tariff or want to compare wider options.
Purpl Tip: You are allowed to ask
Do not wait for your provider to offer this automatically. Social tariffs are often underused because people do not know they exist, or feel awkward asking. You are allowed to ask.
You can register for the Priority Services Register by contacting your energy supplier, electricity network operator, and water company. It is free and gives extra support to people who may need help during power cuts, water interruptions, or supplier problems.
The Priority Services Register (PSR) does not usually reduce your tariff. What it does is give you added protection and practical help when something goes wrong. Ofgem explains that if you have different gas and electricity suppliers, you may need to register with each one, and if you switch suppliers, you should ask to be added again.
Support may include:
This matters because a power cut is not just inconvenient if you rely on a stairlift, electric bed, powered wheelchair, fridge for medication, CPAP machine, communication device, heating, or hot water for health reasons.
Purpl Tip: Register on all fronts
Register with your supplier and your network operator. They are not always the same organisation. Keep a note so you can update your PSR details when you switch provider or move house.
You can reduce supermarket delivery fees by checking whether a delivery pass, click and collect option, midweek plan or verified discount works out cheaper than paying per order.
For many disabled people, online grocery shopping is not a treat. It is access.
If pain, fatigue, mobility issues, sensory overload, anxiety, neurodivergence, immune risk or caring responsibilities make supermarket shopping difficult, delivery can be the safest and most realistic way to get food into the house.
The problem is that delivery fees add up. A few pounds every week can become hundreds of pounds over a year.
To reduce this cost, check:
Supermarket Savings: Purpl members can check verified grocery and supermarket offers through our secure member dashboard, including brands such as Morrisons, Ocado, and Tesco when available to help reduce the extra cost of accessible grocery shopping.
Purpl Insight: Convenience vs. access
Food delivery is often described as a convenience, but for many disabled people it is the only realistic way to shop. That changes how we should think about the cost.
Yes. WaterSure can reduce your water bill if you have a water meter, receive qualifying benefits, and have high essential water use because of a medical condition.
Citizens Advice explains that WaterSure can help with water bills when someone in the household has a medical condition that means they need to use a lot of water, or when a household on qualifying benefits has three or more children under 19.
Medical reasons can include conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, weeping skin diseases, incontinence, desquamation, or renal failure requiring home dialysis.
In March 2026, the UK Government announced the biggest changes to the scheme since it was introduced in 1999. These reforms are expected to come into force in early 2027 and will be mandatory in England and voluntary in Wales.
The key 2026 reforms include:
Purpl Tip: Apply for support
If your condition means you do more laundry, wash more often, clean medical items, manage incontinence or use water for treatment at home, WaterSure is worth checking. The 2026 reforms make this especially important for people receiving PIP, DLA or Attendance Allowance.
You may be able to get VAT relief on disability equipment if the product is designed to help disabled people or people with long term health conditions, and it is for your personal or domestic use.
HMRC guidance explains that VAT relief is available on certain goods and services for disabled people, including some equipment, adaptations and products designed solely for disabled people.
This matters because VAT is normally 20%. On a mobility scooter, adjustable bed, stairlift, specialist chair, wheelchair accessory, adapted bathroom product, specialist shoes or independent living aid, that saving can be significant.
VAT relief is not automatic on every product sold by a mobility company. The item must qualify, and you usually need to complete a simple declaration confirming that you are disabled or chronically sick and that the item is for personal or domestic use.
When buying from specialist mobility or independent living retailers, check the VAT relief process before paying. This may apply when shopping with providers such as Eden Mobility, Cool Crutches, Cosyfeet, Mobility in Motion and other specialist retailers.
Purpl members should also check whether a verified Purpl discount is available. Sometimes VAT relief and a discount can both reduce the final cost, but each retailer’s checkout process may work differently.
Purpl Tip: Stack your savings
Always check VAT relief before you pay. It is one of the biggest savings people miss because they assume it is complicated, but most retailers use a simple self-declaration form.
Efficient appliances can lower energy costs over time, especially if disability or health needs mean you use certain appliances more than other households.
This is not about replacing everything at once as most households cannot do that. It is about identifying the appliances that work hardest in your home and checking whether a more efficient option would reduce long-term running costs.
The Energy Saving Trust explains that energy labels can help you compare appliances and understand which models cost less to run. For disabled households, the biggest impact may come from appliances linked to health, safety, and daily living, such as:
For cooking, the Energy Saving Trust notes that smaller appliances such as microwaves, slow cookers or air fryers may cost less to run than a large oven, depending on what you cook and how you use them.
Appliance Discounts: Purpl members can check home and appliance offers from brands such as Currys, Hoover, and Ninja UK in our secure member area to save on upgrading the hardworking machines in your home.
Purpl Insight: Avoid the guilt
Energy-saving advice often forgets disability. If your condition means you need more heating, washing, drying or appliance use, the aim is not to feel guilty. The aim is to make unavoidable costs cheaper where possible.
Meal kits can help some disabled households reduce food waste, decision fatigue and expensive last-minute takeaway orders.
They are not the right answer for everyone. Some people need very specific safe foods, textures, diets or routines. Others may find meal kits too much work. But for some disabled people, structured meal kits can reduce one of the biggest hidden food costs: buying ingredients with good intentions, then being too exhausted, foggy or unwell to cook them.
This can be especially relevant if you deal with:
Meal kits can help because ingredients usually arrive portioned, recipes are already planned, and you may be less likely to order takeaway on low-energy days.
Try it discounted: Purpl members can check HelloFresh, Green Chef and Field Doctor offers through our secure dashboard when available to test whether meal kits reduce waste in your household without paying full price.
Purpl Tip: Use subscriptions strategically
Meal kits do not have to be an all-or-nothing subscription. They can be useful during flare-ups, school holidays, busy work weeks, post-hospital recovery or periods when your normal routine has fallen apart.
You may be able to get the Warm Home Discount if you are on a low income, receive certain benefits, and meet the scheme rules for your country.
GOV.UK confirms that the Warm Home Discount can take £150 off your winter electricity bill if you qualify.
Ofgem explains that the scheme applies in England, Wales, and Scotland, while Northern Ireland has separate arrangements rather than the same Warm Home Discount scheme.
Most eligible households in England and Wales are matched automatically, but you should still check your letters, online energy account, and any requests for more information. In Scotland, some people may need to apply through their supplier, depending on which group they fall into.
If you live in Northern Ireland, check the Affordable Warmth Scheme instead. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive explains that the scheme is aimed at low-income households in private accommodation and can help with energy efficiency measures if you meet the rules for your country.
Purpl Tip: Check the name on the bill
Check that the qualifying person is named correctly on the energy account. If the bill is in someone else’s name, automatic matching can become harder.
You can reduce mobile phone and digital costs by checking when your contract ends, moving to SIM-only when your handset is paid off, comparing social tariffs and using verified member discounts where available.
Your phone may be one of your most important disability tools. It can help you manage appointments, prescriptions, care messages, emergency contacts, accessibility apps, maps, banking and support groups.
But mobile contracts can quietly become expensive when people keep paying the same amount after the handset has been paid off.
Check:
Ofcom’s social tariff guidance covers cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming certain benefits, so it is worth checking phone support as well as broadband.
Purpl members can also check verified mobile and broadband offers in the secure member dashboard when available.
Purpl Insight: Prioritise reliability
The cheapest phone deal is not always the right one. If your phone is your lifeline, balance price with signal, reliability, data and accessibility.
Disabled people can find grants and community support through local councils, benefit-linked hardship schemes, energy supplier funds, water company support schemes, disability charities, condition-specific charities, and trusted closed communities such as Purpl.
Some household costs cannot be solved by switching providers. A broken washing machine, failed boiler, damaged wheelchair, unsafe bed, urgent mobility aid, or essential home repair can overwhelm a budget overnight.
You can also check:
Purpl’s Community Grant Fund exists because discounts help, but they do not solve every crisis. Purpl is a secure, closed-group platform for disabled people, people with long term health conditions, parents and carers. We take verification seriously so that brand discounts and community support reach the people they are intended for.
Carers and parents can also register with Purpl using the qualifying documents of the disabled person they support, with permission. This helps families access savings without forcing the disabled person to manage every account or every piece of admin themselves.
Purpl reinvests 20% of all brand media and advertising spend directly into the Purpl Community Grant Fund. The fund is designed to place direct financial grants back into the hands of disabled people, people with long term health conditions and carers, helping with urgent or heavy costs when money is already stretched.
Purpl Insight: More than a discount site
Purpl is not just a discount site. It is a verified community built to reduce the extra cost of disability, provide support through a members group and the grant fund as well as offering member perks like competitions.
The disability price tag is the extra cost disabled people and their households face because of disability, long term health conditions, inaccessible services and specialist needs. It can include higher energy use, transport costs, medical equipment, delivery charges, care-related expenses, adapted products and wasted money caused by inaccessible systems.
PIP may help you qualify for some broadband or phone social tariffs, but rules vary by provider. Universal Credit is accepted more widely, while some providers also accept PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance, ESA, Pension Credit, Income Support or other benefits. Check Ofcom’s social tariff list and your provider’s own eligibility rules.
The Priority Services Register does not usually reduce your energy tariff. It gives free extra support if you are disabled, have a long term health condition, rely on medical equipment, need accessible communication or may need help during supply interruptions.
Yes, some disabled people can get help with water bills through WaterSure, water company social tariffs or water company hardship funds. WaterSure is being reformed so that PIP, DLA and Attendance Allowance are added to the qualifying benefit list for households with high medical water use and income below the threshold.
The WaterSure reforms announced in March 2026 are expected to come into force in early 2027. The changes will be mandatory in England and voluntary in Wales. Water companies have also agreed to remove the need for a paid medical note.
Some products designed solely for disabled people can be bought VAT-free if they meet HMRC rules and are for personal or domestic use. This can include certain mobility aids, adjustable beds, stairlifts, specialist chairs, adaptations and disability equipment.
Sometimes, yes, but it depends on the retailer and how their checkout works. If you are buying disability equipment, check VAT relief first, then see whether your Purpl discount can also be applied. If you are unsure, ask the retailer before paying.
Yes. Carers and parents can join Purpl if they are supporting someone who meets the eligibility criteria, using the qualifying documents of the disabled person they care for, with permission. This helps carers access savings for the household without adding more admin pressure to the disabled person.
For many disabled people, yes. If pain, fatigue, mobility problems, sensory overwhelm, anxiety, caring responsibilities or a long term health condition make supermarket trips difficult, grocery delivery becomes an access need rather than a luxury.
Start with your local council, Turn2us, condition-specific charities, energy supplier hardship funds, water company support schemes and local disability organisations. Purpl members can also look out for Community Grant Fund updates inside the Purpl community and member communications.
The disability price tag is real, and it is not your fault.
People with disabilities, long term health conditions, parents, and carers often face higher household bills because everyday systems are not designed around disability. Heating, laundry, food delivery, broadband, medical equipment, mobility aids, and emergency repairs can all cost more when your body, brain, health condition, or caring role needs extra support.
The best approach is to check one bill at a time. You do not have to do everything today. Pick the bill causing the most pressure and start there.
Purpl exists because disabled people deserve practical ways to reduce the extra cost of disability now, not just promises of future change. Through verified member discounts, secure eligibility checks, and our Community Grant Fund, we are building a practical support system that puts money back into disabled people’s pockets.
Georgina is the Founder of Purpl, a disabled-led UK discount platform created to help disabled people, people with long term health conditions, carers and families reduce the extra cost of disability.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis herself, Georgina uses lived experience to create practical, honest and accessible guidance that helps the Purpl community save money, understand their rights and feel less alone when navigating benefits, household bills and disability-related costs.
Purpl works with trusted brands to provide verified discounts for eligible members and reinvests 20% of brand media and advertising spend into the Purpl Community Grant Fund.
How to claim VAT relief: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/how-to-claim-vat-exemptions-for-disabled-people-in-the-uk
Could the WaterSure scheme save you money: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/watersure-water-bill-help-disabled-households
Save money on heating costs with the Warm Home Discount: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/warm-home-discount-could-you-save-150-on-your-heating-bills-this-year
Energy and utility savings for disabled people: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/home-utility-savings-and-disability-discounts