Appeal to prevent deaths from cold

HUNDREDS of elderly people in the North are dying every year from living in cold conditions because of the British Government’s inaction, it was claimed yesterday.

National Energy Action said there were more deaths from the cold because of fuel poverty than in Finland or Sweden. The charity said the Department of Social Development’s figures showed there were an annual 1,360 deaths from fuel poverty-related illnesses.

NEA director Majella McCloskey said there had not been a single meeting of the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group or Interdepartmental Group on Fuel Poverty since they were set up as key recommendations last year of DSDs Fuel Poverty Strategy.