Sponsored by
Hypothermia risk as fuel prices rise
ELDERLY people risk hypothermia this winter as massive fuel price rises bite, it was claimed today.
Campaigners say pensioners face a stark choice between food or warmth as they deal with price rises of up to 27 per cent from big power firms.
More than 8,000 homes across the coast are already said to suffer fuel poverty – because it will cost them more than 10 per cent of household income to adequately heat their homes.
NPower led the way last week, announcing a 17.2 per cent increase in gas bills and a 12.7 per cent electricity price hike – increases could add up to as much as 27 per cent on some tariffs. All six major power suppliers are expected to follow suit.
Coun Doreen Holt, chairwoman of the Blackpool Pensioners Pressure Group, said: "It's very frightening. The elderly and some parents with young children will get to the stage where they will not turn the heating on.
"When you are on a fixed income, what can you cut down on apart from heat or food? Most of them don't go on holiday.
"People will end up wrapping themselves in rugs rather than using their heating.
"We all know bills have to increase if the price of oil increases – it affects the price of all sorts of things, including food and transportation as well as heating.
"I do think somebody needs to wake up these companies – all they are thinking about is their profits. Somebody's got to be thinking about the people that are suffering because of it."
Coun Ramesh Gandhi, who works with the Wyre pensioners forum, said: "I think where we have people in the borough already struggling to pay the bills it will have a big impact.
"There are pensioners out there on low incomes for whom the price rises will be very bad news.
"People might be tempted turn off the heating.
"That is why we see so many casualties in the hospital and even deaths from illnesses because of the cold."
Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden said: "On a local level, in Blackpool, it is vital social services and voluntary agencies step up their monitoring, particularly of older and vulnerable people.
"Older people obviously have access to the winter fuel rebate – but we may have to look again at the level of that rebate."
Giuseppe Di Vita, managing director of npower's residential business, said: "We always try to protect our customers for as long as possible but sadly higher energy prices are a fact of life.
Npower is not alone in facing these higher costs, and we expect other suppliers to follow suit shortly. Anyone struggling to pay their bills should get in touch immediately."
Figures from Bristol University's Centre for Sustainable Energy show that 4,370 Blackpool households, 2,870 in Wyre and 1,980 Fylde homes are affected by fuel poverty.
In the worst affected areas, including parts of Grange Park and South Shore, more than 10 per cent of homes are affected by fuel poverty.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
