Cost of living: impact on health and wellbeing

Healthwatch Darlington conducted a survey to help assess the impact of the cost of living on the health and wellbeing of local people. The survey was available for completion from 11th January to 27th March 2023. 194 respondents completed the survey.

Key findings

• Over half of respondents had just enough money to cover their living expenses with nothing to spare or were running out of money.
• Over three quarters of respondents said that their financial situation had got a little or a lot worse over the last six months
• Over half were avoiding going to the dentist because of the cost of check-ups or treatment.
• Over a quarter were avoiding buying over-the-counter medication that they usually relied on.
• Just under a quarter were avoiding seeking help from the NHS because they couldn’t afford to take time off work.
• Just under one in five were cutting down on or stopping support from services that they paid, such as physiotherapy or counselling.
• 17% were avoiding taking one or more items on an NHS prescription because of the cost
• 13% were avoiding booking an NHS appointment because they couldn’t afford the associated costs such as phone calls and internet access.
• 13% were avoiding attending an NHS appointment because they couldn’t afford to travel to the appointment.

The report contains recommendations about prescriptions, travel, dental care and remote bookings and appointments.