Press Release: 3981 Households Revealed to be in Fuel Poverty in Hayes and Harlington Constituency

John McDonnell MP Urges Secretary of State to drive forward the major energy efficiency programme promoted this week by Age UK

John McDonnell has writtentoday to Ed Davey, The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to express his distress that so many of our elderly people are experiencing such poverty and having to make start choices between eating and keeping warm during the winter months.

In his letter to the minister John pointed out that there are 3981 fuel poor households in Hayes and Harlington, which is 11.2 per cent of all households in the constituency.

John said “Winter can be a big worry for many older people as it brings with it a range of concerns, from high fuel bills and housing that is hard to heat, to health problems and hospital admissions. According to the recent report by Age Concern every winter, one older person dies every seven minutes from the cold weather. Many more older people become seriously ill due to living in a cold home. The majority of these deaths and health problems could be prevented if everyone lived in a warm home. Many older people who are faced with the stark choice between heating or eating end up rationing both, with disastrous effects on their physical and mental health and wellbeing. I consider it an indictment on our society that we allow older people to die or experience severe illness because they cannot afford to heat their homes and have to choose between eating or staying warm.”

Age UK believes that the most effective way of reducing the numbers of older people living in fuel poverty is to significantly improve the energy efficiency of our housing stock.

In support of Age UKs Campaign for warm homes and as an advocate of the Energy Bill Revolution campaign John has written to the minister to urge him to support the ambitious energy efficiency programme, set out in Age UK’s report, that will enable all older people to live in a warm home.