'Your home can be a trap' - Visually impaired Paralympian Zac Shaw on 'struggle' of cost of living

ITV News Central Correspondent Nancy Coleman has spoken to Paralympic sprinter Zac Shaw about his difficulties being visually impaired with the current cost of living

People who are blind and visually impaired are struggling to keep track of their energy use, a Paralympic sprinter has warned. 

The cost of living crisis is affecting everybody, but for those who are blind or partially sighted, the difficulty in knowing that household appliances are using energy can be much harder.

Paralympic and Commonwealth sprinter, Zac Shaw, who's from Grimsby and lives and trains in Loughborough and says for many it's an "increasing struggle".

Mr Shaw said: "You can walk past a plug and see it's left on or you can walk past a heater and see it's been left on. If you're visually impaired, it's not always that easy.

"Your home is a safe place, but it's also like a little trap. Am I spending too much money?"

The Commonwealth silver medallist lost his sight as a teenager and says even basic tasks now come at a price.

New figures have revealed...

• 93% of those who are blind or partially sighted are struggling to keep energy costs down

• Nearly half of them say they have a condition that means they require extra energy use

• 54% feel forgotten during this difficult financial time

• Four in five blind and partially sighted people say knowing how much energy they use each day would help them find ways to reduce it, according to the findings from Smart Energy GB

There are around 9,500 people who are blind or severely sight impaired in the East Midlands.

David Clarke, from The National Institute of Blind People, said: "Blind and partially sighted people face a lot of extra costs that are not born out of choice. They're born out of necessity.

"There is no doubt that blind and partially sighted people do face additional costs of living anyway, the cost-of living crisis just accelerates that situation.

"It makes it much more challenging."

New technology like text-to-speech smart meters, Mr Shaw believes would bring the experiences of those with visual impairments in line with others and would help them track their usage.

He said said: "To have a smart meter that will literally read out your energy costs in pounds and pence and in that real time, I think is really important, especially in a crisis like now."

A high contrast display also makes it easier for those with sight loss to use and reduces the reliance of others to help.