South West patients cut back on dental and medical treatment as cost of living bites
More than 20% of patients in the South West of England are cutting back on dental and medical treatment due to rising costs.
A survey conducted by Ultra LEDs found that 74% of people will be spending less this Christmas due to the cost of living crisis. Almost 60% of participants said they will spend less on presents and half of people are reducing the amount they spend on festive food and drink. Nearly 40% of residents are making cuts on decorations and a third are scaling back social plans to save money.
The poll revealed that many people are anxious or worried about how they’re going to afford Christmas this year, with over half of those surveyed admitting they were concerned about the big day being a disappointment and 36% suggesting that thinking about the festive period was depressing.
To save money during the cost of living crisis, many people are changing the way they celebrate during the festive period. Over 40% of people are going out less and 38% have cut back on takeaways. A third of people have swapped to energy-efficient lightbulbs and almost 30% are walking more instead of driving.
Worryingly, over 20% of people said they are avoiding going to dental or GP appointments or cutting back on treatments that involve paying, for example, dental services and prescriptions. One in five people are buying second-hand clothes instead of new items.
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