Fuel Poverty
Affordable Warmth
Avoidable Winter Deaths.

Fuel poverty is when a household spends 10% or more is used to achieve an adequate standard of warmth in the home. Adequate warmth is generally defined as 21degrees C in the living room and 18degrees C in other occupied rooms- temperature levels recommended by the World Health Organisation.

114,000 households in the East Midlands are fuel poor (English House Condition Survey 2003)

There were 2,500 avoidable winter deaths in the East Midlands in 2004-5.That is the equivalent of 4 jumbo jets crashing with no survivors. What an outrage there would be if that were to happen. 2,000 is more than were killed by Hurricane Katrina and remember the media coverage that caused, yet 2,500 people die each winter here in this region and it goes unnoticed.

There are 878,000 people in the East Midlands 60 year years old and above, that is set to grow dramatically. The East Midlands has an ageing population, not only are its residents ageing but there is a trend of older people migrating to the region to enjoy their retirement in this area.

Rural areas have the oldest population. While the population of rural areas is set to age by contrast the population in urban areas will have a relative young profile.

Between 2005 and 2020 the over 75s is set to rise by 70,000 and 96% of these will live outside the region’s three major cities.

Why is fuel poverty in rural areas a problem? Because many households are beyond the gas main and therefore have to rely on other less efficient fuels for heating and are less likely to have central heating. Stone built houses with no wall cavity are less well insulated and cost more to heat. Houses that are under occupied are more likely to be under heated. So older people living alone in large stone houses without central heating are more likely to be at risk and these are often the type of houses found in rural areas.

Older people in rural areas are less likely to claim benefits that they may be entitled to, pension credit, attendance allowance, housing benefit etc and are less likely to know about schemes such as Warm Front that give information and advice about heating and grants to install central heating systems.

This winter those who do have central heating will see dramatic increases in fuel prices, particularly oil.

What effects dose the cold have on the health of older people? Cold homes have been shown to exacerbate illness such as influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis. The risk of a heart attack or stroke is also increased by cold conditions in the home. Older people are more likely to fall and become confused when the temperature drops and there is an increase risk of accidents such as tripping over trailing electrical flexes, fires from electric blankets and scolding from filling hot water bottles with boiling water.

There are many common misconceptions about keeping warm and having a healthy home; “A cool home is a healthy home - warm homes are more likely to spread germs. “ Wrong. Research has shown that as we get older, the risk of a heart attack or stroke greatly increases in cool temperatures.

“Going from a warm house to the cold outside makes you feel the cold more, so it is better to keep the house cool” Wrong. Living in the warm keeps the body temperature up which helps protect against the effects of the cold outside.

“Sleeping with the window open at night even during the winter is good for you – get the germs out and fresh air in.” Wrong. Cold air on the head and face at night has been shown to increase blood pressure. So close the window when it is cold outside.

We live in the fourth richest country in the world and yet this winter older people in the East Midlands will have to choose between heating and eating, living and dying.