Winter Support Needed for People Living with Long-Term Conditions 19 January 2024 A survey by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland revealed that a third of people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid had cut back on essentials such as heating as a result of the cost-of-living crisis The charity is calling on the Scottish Government to provide additional financial support for those living with long-term conditions this winter Research by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has highlighted the financial challenges facing those living with long-term conditions this winter. people like me, who have worked hard all our lives, have been left high and dry. We need your help now.” The research revealed that: One in five people (20%) with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid said their health condition affected their finances Nearly two thirds of people under 60 say the cost of living has had an impact on them (63%), highlighting that people of working age are most affected One in five people (20%) who responded said their health condition made it hard for them to work at all, rising to a quarter of people under 60 (25%) 44% of all people with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid said the cost-of-living crisis has impacted on them. This rises to nearly three in five (58%) of those claiming benefits. Three in ten of those who said they were affected have had to cut back on essentials, including heating. This rises to four in ten people who claim benefits (39%). More support needed According to Disability Rights UK, disabled people and those with long-term health conditions are more likely to experience financial hardship. Nearly half of all people in the UK who live in poverty are either disabled or live with a disabled person. CEO of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Jane-Claire Judson said: “The cost-of-living crisis is a cruel reality for many but is especially challenging for those living with long-term conditions. “As we enter a second winter of sky-high energy prices and food costs, it is extremely concerning that a third of people living with our conditions have been forced to cut back on essentials. “Cutting back on heating and nutritious food can exacerbate long-term conditions and increase the likelihood of rehospitalisation for some, putting additional pressure on the NHS at an already challenging time. “The Scottish Government needs to act now to put an ongoing plan in place for financial support before yet more people living with long-term conditions are pushed into poverty. Expanding social tariffs for fuel and widening the range of medical equipment that qualify for financial reimbursement would be a great place to start. “People living with our conditions will struggle this winter. We need the Scottish Government to step up to ensure that there is more support in place in the future.” “We’ve been forgotten, and it’s unacceptable” A CHSS service user has shared her thoughts on what she thinks is necessary to help people living with long-term health conditions. A mother of four from West Lothian, she has been living with the symptoms of Long Covid – including extreme fatigue and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscles) – since early 2022, helped in managing her condition by the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Long Covid Support Group. The 50-year-old has been out of work since she lost her job , when fatigue caused by Long Covid kept her off work. That has meant real hardship for her and her family – she was the main breadwinner as her husband is the carer for two adult sons with complex learning difficulties. “I would say directly to the Scottish Government – people like me, who have worked hard all our lives, have been left high and dry. We need your help now.” She said: “I feel the Scottish Government has abandoned people like me. We’ve been forgotten, and it’s unacceptable. I did everything right in my working life, went to university twice and always had good, well-paid jobs. But now I have been left high and dry, deprived of any help by the government, and it’s not good enough. People like me need help now. Since I got Long Covid, the only support I have had has been from CHSS. “I have two sons who have autism and related health issues, so I’ve been negotiating the benefits system for a long time. But even I have been shocked at what I’ve found. The system isn’t designed to help, it’s designed to confuse and deflate you. “I want to work. I need to work, and I’d take any job I can find. But I have chronic fatigue and now I have to take medication for myocarditis. I have to classify myself as disabled, and that puts a big black mark against me. If I can’t get a job that takes my health condition into account, then the government needs to step up and offer me and others like me better financial support. “Since I got Long Covid, the only support I have had has been from CHSS. Nothing from the NHS, from the local authority, from the government. It’s a shocking state of affairs that a charity has to step in to do their job. “We are just keeping our heads above water right now, but it is so difficult. We were sensible and had savings, but they are gone now because the rainy day is here. I know there are many people worse off than us, and I try to stay positive, but it is so hard. I can only thank CHSS for stepping up when no one else will.” For advice on managing chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid this winter, contact the CHSS Advice Line on 0808 801 0899 or at adviceline@chss.org.uk View the full CHSS 1 in 5 Report