Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action is calling on the Government to provide additional support and resources to protect the health of vulnerable people who cannot afford to keep warm in winter.
The call follows publication of a report in the British Medical Journal demonstrating the link between cold conditions and heart attacks, particularly amongst older people.
The findings, based on research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, indicate that a 1 degree C temperature drop on a single day in the UK was associated with a significantly increased incidence of heart attacks.
Cold-related heart attacks are a major factor in the phenomenon of excess winter mortality seen every year in the United Kingdom. Over the winter period 2008-2009, there were more than 40,000 excess winter deaths in the UK.
Over 50% of those who died of cold related illness were pensioners over the age of 75, leading to calls from the Charity to help ensure that those who are the most vulnerable are protected from the cold weather through better heating and insulation and increased financial support with unaffordable heating bills.
Ron Campbell, Head of Policy and Information at NEA said:
"The findings of this latest report support much of what we already know, that cold conditions in the home cause and exacerbate illness leading to heart attacks, strokes, bronchial infections and trips and falls in the home.
"We need decisive action from Government to ensure that low-income households, and other people vulnerable to the effects of the cold, are protected against high energy prices, and that the social implications of unaffordable energy costs are recognised and addressed as the Coalition Government develops its thinking on the future of energy policy."
