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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Take action now to tackle scandal of winter deaths says candidate
December 6, 2006 12:00 AM
Local Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor and Assembly candidate for Gower Nick Tregoning has called for urgent action over winter fuel payments for pensioners in the light of a warning from Rod Griffiths of the Faculty of Public Health that the lives of thousands of elderly people are at risk because they cannot afford to heat their homes.
More than 23,000 elderly people in England and Wales died last winter as a result of being too cold. The year before the toll was 29,000, which is nearly 10 people aged 65 or older every hour. Age Concern has called for a £100 increase in the winter fuel payment. However Ministers have said that the payments will stay at their present levels of £200 for a single person and £300 for a couple.
"Ministers must recognise that times have changed since the last time the fuel payment was increased," said Councillor Tregoning. "Gas has gone up by 90% and electricity by 60% since 2003, and whereas in 2003 the winter fuel payment covered around one third of the average pensioner winter fuel bill, now the figure is one fifth. 22% of those over 70 are paying 10% of their total income on fuel."
"It cannot be right that many of our older citizens have to choose between food and warmth," Councillor Tregoning continued. "Soaring fuel bills mean that pensioners in Gower will find themselves burning through money this winter when temperatures drop. Britain already has scandalously high levels of winter deaths amongst elderly and vulnerable people, and urgent action is required to prevent this tragic death toll from rising. Ministers must consider increasing the winter fuel payment as suggested by Age Concern, or restoring the £200 Council Tax rebate that Labour introduced before the 2005 General Election and then so cynically abolished just afterwards. In addition, creating incentives for people to use some of their fuel payments on better insulation for their homes would cut fuel bills and help the environment."
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