One of the country’s leading charities has upskilled many of its team to help people with health conditions deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

Kidney Care UK, which provides practical and emotional support to people affected by kidney disease, has invested in its Patient Support and Advocacy team to help people navigate growing financial issues, including energy bills.

The charity is one of many to be part-funded by British Gas Energy Trust and already employs a team of energy advisors, but noticed a growing number of people needing support.

Sarah Oakley, Director of Patient Support Services at Kidney Care UK, said the extra support is proving vital: “Kidney disease is not something that affects the individual alone, it has ripples right through the family and community.

“The grinding impact of the cost-of-living crisis is not in the headlines quite so much these days but for the vulnerable community that we support, it hasn’t gone away. People on low incomes and with restricted opportunities for employment are living on the edge month to month. 

“There are often worries – like rising fuel bills or something going wrong with their car – that stop them from engaging fully with their treatment and getting the benefits of everything that medicine can give them. In some cases, people are missing appointments because they can’t afford to get there or are prioritising going to the food bank over the hospital. It’s a very real situation for many people unfortunately.

“One of the symptoms of kidney failure or the conditions that come with it is anaemia, which makes people much more susceptible to the cold. People are struggling to keep themselves warm, which impacts heating bills.

“But more hidden, but no less impactful, is that water consumption generally increases with the need to maintain a strict hygiene regime. And if someone is on home dialysis, they use around 1,000 litres of water each week for their treatment alone.”

The charity’s Patient Support and Advocacy team is on the frontline, speaking to patients across the country who are in need of support as they navigate the disease – answering questions about everything from treatment to transport.

But in the last year, an increasing number of patients are presenting with money worries.

Sarah added: “Demand was becoming such that people were starting to have a little bit of a wait before our advisors were able to speak to them. By giving our Patient Support and Advocacy team a bit more information about benefits, we’re able to deal with some more simple needs face-to-face. It means we’re able to support people with less complex needs more quickly and make sure that those people with more complex needs were getting the specialist advice they need.”

The support is helping people like Naomi*, who lives in London with her husband. She suffered kidney failure in 2024 and now attends hospital three-times a week for haemodialysis. The staff at her renal unit asked her Kidney Care Patient Support & Advocacy Officer to speak with her as she seemed very low.

In a friendly chat, the Officer quickly established that Naomi had an application for Personal Independence Payment declined, and she was worried how she and her husband would manage the bills.

The Officer explored the full range of potential support, including income replacement benefits, other disability benefits and help with energy and water bills – and worked with the charity’s Money and Energy Advisor to put the wheels in motion, and support Naomi along the way.

As a result of the wrap-around support provided, Naomi stopped worrying about bills and started to positively engage with her treatment and prioritise her health.

*name changed to protect identity.

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