A woman from The Lizard has spoken out about the unexpected impacts of being diagnosed with Parkinson's at an early age.

It is as new research published this week by Sheffield Hallam University and the charity Parkinson’s UK shows that those affected by the condition face financial losses of more than £16,000 every year.

It is a statistic that Heidi Reynolds, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when she was 37, can relate to only too well.

She was medically retired from her career in the Metropolitan Police almost immediately, with a loss of earnings around £30,000. She receives a pension and, because of this, she is not eligible for any additional support.

Heidi, now aged 41, estimates she spends an extra £75 per month because of her diagnosis.

She said: “When I was diagnosed, I knew I would be medically retired as the potential outcomes had already been discussed with my employer. In that way, I lost my health and my income in one day.

"I thought about the future and what my care costs might look like, but that felt a long time away. I didn’t realise what the immediate impact would be, probably because I didn’t realise the extent of what Parkinson’s is and how it would affect me.

“There were a lot of surprises at first. I thought my prescriptions would be covered but they aren’t. I started to experience problems with swallowing and a dietician recommended protein powder to help me get the nutrients and essentially daily calories I needed. This, and prescribed high calorie drinks, have prevented my weight loss plummeting further, but the protein supplement costs me around £45 every eight weeks.

“Having a condition like Parkinson’s changes your perception on a lot of things, including money. Suddenly the pot of money you have has to stretch a lot further and last a lot longer.

“Parkinson’s can creep into so many aspects of your life, and with that comes extra costs that can really add up.”

The report also highlights a reduction in quality of life as the condition progresses. Most respondents with Parkinson’s had seen a decline in their health over the previous year, with two-thirds needing help with activities inside and outside the home.

The charity is calling on governments across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to make changes to welfare support and increase social care investment, as well as proposing new policies and practices for employers so that people affected by Parkinson’s are supported to stay in work for as long as is appropriate.

Currently around 127,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson’s, an incurable, degenerative neurological condition which leaves people struggling to walk, talk and sleep.