Disabled people are one of the groups hardest hit by the increased cost of living, with just under a third living in poverty. That figure rises to half of people with a long-term, limiting mental health condition.
At the same time, new data shows that disabled workers also face particular struggles due to low wages, affecting everything from their ability to put food on the table to their relationships with their friends and family.
Yet, 63% of disabled workers paid below the real Living Wage told us that moving to the real Living Wage would improve their overall quality of life. This shows that paying disabled people in line with the cost of living has positive impacts far beyond affording the basics. The real Living Wage remains the only UK Wage rate calculated on the real cost of living, and is currently set at £13.45, or £14.80 in London.
Disabled workers are making sacrifices to survive
Having a disability makes life more expensive. The extra cost of having a disability is expected to reach a staggering £1,224 per month by 2029. Disabled people in low-paid workface a double setback, forcing them to make impossible choices about where to spend their money.
New data from our Life on Low Pay report series shows that low-paid disabled workers are twice as likely as non-disabled workers to have kept the heating off to save money in the past year, and almost twice as likely to have skipped meals or fallen behind on bills.
Proportion of low-paid workers who have taken these actions in the past year to save money.
Source: LWF analysis of Survation polling, 2025. All respondents (2,007, of whom 345 have a disability) were asked: Over the past 12 months, have you experienced any of the following life situations?
High housing costs play a big role in making things difficult to manage with half of low-paid, disabled workers aren’t sure if they can cover other necessities, like food, after paying their rent or mortgage every month. That’s despite the fact that 44% are living in housing that doesn’t meet their needs in the first place, for example because it’s too expensive or doesn’t have enough space.
These sacrifices negatively affect all aspects of disabled people’s lives
It’s not surprising that with low-paid disabled workers struggling to pay for life’s essentials, finding money for extra activities is often out of the question. 60% can rarely or never afford to spend what they’d like to on holidays, and 40% say the same for entertainment and hobbies.
The constant stress of trying to survive on low pay is having knock-on effects in other aspects of their lives too, as you can see in the chart below. For example, 64% of low-paid, disabled workers say their pay is worsening their level of anxiety.
Proportion of low-paid, disabled workers who say their pay has a negative impact on different aspects of their lives.
Source: LWF analysis of Survation polling, 2025. All respondents (2,007, of whom 345 have a disability) were asked: To what extent does the pay you receive for your work impact the following, if at all?
Earning a decent wage supports disabled people to stay in work
Disabled people face extra barriers securing and staying in work. People with multiple health conditions are 5.6 times more likely to leave work than people without a disability.
However, paying people a real Living Wage could support disabled people to stay in work, and reduce negative health impacts associated with low-paid jobs. New data from our Working to Live polling shows that while 39% of low-paid, disabled workers say their pay negatively affects their physical health, and 58% say the same for their mental health, this falls to 25% and 37% for those paid the real Living Wage. It’s not surprising that 29% of disabled people in low-paid work said they’re not satisfied with their current job and are looking to move.
On the flip side, the chart below shows that low-paid, disabled workers think moving to the real Living Wage would improve many aspects of life, from their health and wellbeing to their relationships with their children. This sends a powerful message that decent wages can make a substantial difference to the lives of disabled workers everywhere.
Proportion of low-paid, disabled workers who say moving to the real Living Wage would have a positive impact on different aspects of their lives.
Source: LWF analysis of Survation polling, 2025. All respondents (2,007, of whom 345 have a disability) were asked: If your wage increased to match the real Living Wage, what impact, if any, would this have on the following?
The Living Wage Foundation is all about providing work that works for everyone. By becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer and making a long-term commitment to pay a wage based on the real cost of living, you are showing commitment to support your employees, and help disabled employees overcome the additional barriers they face.