I’m eating less and feeling hungry a lot

Last year I had a major relapse. It was the most scary and painful experience I’ve ever been through. Focusing on my diet and exercise saved me. As well as the physical benefits, that helped me majorly recover my mental state.

Eating well on a budget is hard

I can’t let finances rule my health. But to be honest I have neglected my diet because of the cost of living. I’m worried about the effect this will have on my body.

I’m having to be a lot more conscious about what I’m spending my money on. Before I buy something, I compare costs of all the supermarkets. I’ve got a spreadsheet, and I go to all the supermarkets to get cheapest items in each. This physically puts stress on my body.

I think about how I’m cooking things, and how I can minimise the amount of gas I use. I tend to cook things in bulk and freeze things so that I use less gas. I’ve started buying things that we can eat cold so I don’t have to use microwave or hob. I’m eating less and feeling hungry a lot, which really affects my mood.

Doing what’s good for me is expensive

Our water bill has gone up so much. I like to take baths to relax my muscles – it really helps with my MS. But now I’m reluctant to spend too much time in the bath. I’m just constantly looking at the tap and thinking about how much money it’s costing.

I’ve had to cancel plans to meet up with friends because I can’t afford to go out. Petrol is expensive and so is eating out. Even paying for petrol to travel to hospital appointments is a big stress.

Every day I’m looking at my bank account

I used to be comfortable, but now I have to be extremely mindful over every penny.

I work freelance so I don’t always know what my monthly income is going to look like. Sometimes it’s really good, sometimes it’s a bit like – ugh. I still live with my parents, which helps because we all split the bills. I was supposed to move out with my sister pre-pandemic, but it’s not an option anymore.

I claim PIP but it’s not enough to deal with my extra costs. I’m lucky that I get support from my family and can still live at home. If it was just me living on my own, I couldn’t afford to get by.

The future is uncertain

Going into the winter I’ve got fears about how we’ll pay for heating. I’ve purchased a weighted blanket to avoid putting on heating, and I’ll be mindful of layering up.

I’m 30 now and I want more independence, but it’s not possible. I feel like my independence is limited because of my MS, and limited even more by the cost of living.

The future is very uncertain. I’m scared the government will slowly take from certain people the things we need to get by on a daily basis. I want the government to start acting like human beings and open their eyes to the real world.

Tell the UK Government: it’s time to act

Sign our petition to call on the UK Government to urgently roll out a new cost of living package to support people with MS to survive the winter and beyond.

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You don't have to face challenges alone. Find out about extra financial support you could get, as well as disability benefits.

You can also speak to our MS Benefits Advisor through our MS Helpline on 0808 800 8000 or email [email protected].