Disabled Bowburn mum worried over winter cost of living

Kat says she depends on a range of equipment which runs off electricity

A mum who uses a wheelchair has said she does not have the option of turning off life-sustaining equipment to try and save money on her energy bills.

Kat Paylor-Bent from Bowburn near Durham was left disabled after spinal correction surgery 15 years ago.

She said her family has had to turn to a food bank for help as costs rise.

"It's difficult to know where to turn, so many in the disabled community are dealing with stark challenges at the moment," she said.

"Being disabled we've got extra equipment that I need to have running, I have a pressure-relieving mattress, an electric bed, hoists, a feed machine and I have to keep the house at a certain temperature otherwise I have spasms and cramps in my back where I've had surgeries."

Kat suffered cauda equina syndrome while picking her baby son out of his playpen when he was six months old.

She spent nine months in hospital and was left needing a wheelchair and adaptations around her home after spinal surgery went wrong.

Her son, who is now 16, also has a number of conditions as well as autism.

Kat claims a lot of disabled families are facing difficult decisions with rising bills as winter approaches

While she gets some government support, with her husband working full time she said the family was not entitled to a full range of benefits and were having to budget carefully.

She said: "We're a few weeks into the cost of living crisis and winter has just started so it seems a long away before spring is here and we can start to think about turning off heating, the costs are a big worry for families.

"I know some families who are considering putting their children into care because they can't afford to run the equipment needed to keep them alive at home and it's heart breaking."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said it was supporting six million people with long-term illnesses or disabilities by offering an extra £150 payment to help with rising prices.