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The current prolonged cold spell could lead to a sharp rise in excess deaths this winter as financial worries force vulnerable households to heat up, charities have warned.
The And Fuel Poverty Coalition fears economies of scale on heating will have dire consequences, as forecasters predict the UK will be hit by sub-zero temperatures for the rest of the week.
Simon Francis, the group’s co-ordinator, said: “People are now literally choosing between heat and death. We obviously understand the financial pain everyone is going through, but you can recover from debt, you can’t recover from death. If people don’t have their heating on, they will be at the door of the NHS or worse.
An average of 10,000 more deaths occur each year due to cold and damp homes. Francis fears a record rise in such deaths this year as many struggle to pay the bills.
He said: “We are concerned that as temperatures drop people will not be able to stay warm and will feel the worst effects of living in fuel poverty. That average extra deaths is based on years when energy bills were half of what they are now.
“We know that the level of fuel poverty is far ahead of what it was in previous years. The stories we hear from people are truly heartbreaking.
Mary, 72, a retired special needs teacher in Dollis Hill, northwest London, said her fear of going into debt was keeping her warm.
She said: “I don’t consider myself poor. But I am forced into poverty. I’m terrified of getting a bill I can’t pay, so I’m terrified of keeping the heating on. I can see that if I catch a cold I can get sick – and then what do I do?
Francis urges those struggling to pay their heating bills to contact their energy suppliers and charities for help.
Age UK said the freezing temperatures had increased the number of desperate calls to its advice line.
Its charity director, Caroline Abrahams, said: “Even with the extra help available this winter, energy prices will push almost a third of older households – around three million households – into fuel poverty in the coming months.”
“We are hearing increasing numbers of older people who have no idea how they will get through the next few months, and are afraid to turn on the heat for fear of going into debt. Because the cold increases the risk of stroke and heart attack, we are truly concerned that more people will die from cold homes than in previous years. The Government must do all it can to ensure vulnerable older people have the confidence to turn on their heating during these extremely cold periods.”
Peter Smith, policy director at National Energy Action, said: “More and more people are contacting us, very concerned about being able to stay warm. Despite the chilly conditions, we know that many people are currently too afraid to turn on their heating, for fear of going deeper into debt, with no impact on their physical or mental health. We are very concerned that this could lead to more winter deaths.
He added: “The Government must ensure that everyone can access the support they are entitled to. This is particularly a priority in Northern Ireland where significant bill support has yet to be rolled out. Overall, we need to make the retail energy market more suitable for vulnerable households. They did not cause the current crisis but are paying dearly for it every day.
The Furness campaign is mapping the cost of the 38 Degrees, Life Crisis, by collecting hundreds of stories from people who fear how they’re going to pay their bills.
His campaign manager, Matt Richards, said the exercise showed people “are facing a battle for survival this winter: for some, it’s no longer a choice between heating or eating, but affording it as we go.” It is a cruel reality of not having the coldest months. The government should take urgent steps to prevent this calamity and ensure that no one survives in the cold.
Erica Radford, head of health advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Winter is already a deadly time for people with lung conditions and the last thing we want to see is more people being taken to hospital struggling to breathe. cold We are urging the Government to step up for people with lung conditions and introduce more targeted support to help people keep their homes warm this winter.
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