This morning, the Department of Energy and Climate Change published its annual fuel poverty figures, which showed a disturbing rise in the number of older households experiencing fuel poverty. In total 1.72 million households with a member over 60 are in fuel poverty this year, an increase of a quarter of a million from last year’s figure. Between 2003 and 2008, the number of older households in fuel poverty doubled.
When we talk about households in fuel poverty, we mean those who spend more than ten per cent of their income on keeping their homes warm. Every winter, millions of older people struggle to survive on a low fixed income and gamble with their health by cutting back on heating to keep costs down.
As the numbers of fuel-poor continue to rise, it is hard to understand how there can still be a question mark over the future of payments to older people for winter heating. The annual winter fuel payment and the additional cold weather payment are vital to the millions of older people who depend on these benefits to stay warm in winter.
Cold homes pose obvious and severe health risks to older people, particularly those who are more frail. When the temperature is below 18°C, every further 1 degree decrease in temperature results in 8000 additional winter deaths. If the coalition government decides to cut fuel payments, lives will be lost.
Furthermore, the financial burden of high energy bills on older people’s limited incomes and the fear of debt can be crippling.
We want the government to commit to protect the winter fuel payment and cold weather payment. Furthermore, we urge the government to develop a new fuel poverty strategy to support the most vulnerable households; working with energy companies to reform social tariffs and to end the price inequalities that penalise the poorest.
If you or someone you know is worried about keeping warm this winter, you can call Age UK Advice on freephone 0800 169 65 65 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk