Health and the Cost of Living Crisis

In response to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, Healthwatch Hammersmith and Fulham undertook a survey to investigate and better understand the experiences of H&F residents. There was a particular focus on the impact on access to healthcare services and appointments, as well as on physical and mental health and wellbeing. They received 238 responses.

One in two residents have struggled to access health services or attend appointments in the last 12 months or will do so in the future.  The most difficult to access services were dentists and opticians due to cost of checkups and treatment. This finding confirms local Healthwatch intelligence of access to dentistry. These services, along with pharmacists and hospital outpatient appointments, are key areas to explore improving barriers of access in the future due to other cost challenges raised; the cost of prescriptions, over the counter medication and travel. 

Nearly one in two respondents told us their mental health had worsened in the last 12 months due to the stress and worry of affording rent and increased bills. Combined with this, many respondents were also seeing family or friends less often and participating less in social activities that would usually benefit wellbeing. This finding highlights how the cost-of-living crisis demonstrates in real-time how wider determinants are impacting on local people’s health and wellbeing. This echoes concerns raised by mental health charities . 

One in three respondents said their physical health had been negatively affected by the cost-of-living crisis - more than half of these respondents have an existing long-term health condition. Rising costs have resulted in many people changing their living and care arrangements such as not affording equipment that helps with their health and mobility and/or stopping a special diet or other arrangement recommended for a health condition. This is concerning as it could mean that more residents are experiencing difficulties with managing long term health conditions or disabilities at home, which could create additional strain on health and social care services in the future.

A large number of residents have also already made or anticipate making lifestyle changes: more than half have cut down spending on food and necessary heating or electricity, and two fifths have reduced how much they spend on toiletries for personal hygiene. One third said they are using food banks, while one in ten said they have been using warm hubs. 

Not everyone knew where and how to get cost of living information, support and advice has been varied. While many people have sought help from various places, predominantly from friends and family, the Job Centre, the council’s one-off cost of living payments, the council's Cost of Living team and the Food Bank, around one in five respondents have not received support because they don’t know what is available to them. 

The findings also evidence that the cost-of-living crisis is further exacerbating health inequalities among certain groups, with ethnic minority groups, women, those with longterm health conditions, on means-tested benefits, those that identify as being in a more financially uncomfortable situation and living in areas of higher deprivation - the north and centre of the borough - being affected the most.