Fuel poverty must be tackled to stem illness among those living in cold

Health officials must play a part in addressing fuel poverty because those living in constant cold are more likely to suffer serious illness such as heart disease and childhood asthma and so are a drain on the resources of medical professionals, an expert has claimed.

Simon Roberts, chief executive of the Centre for Sustainable Energy in Britain, told the Energy Action conference in Croke Park one of the major challenges facing those tackling fuel poverty is the need to engage with the health services and health professionals.

He said evidence had been collated in Britain which, not only showed that people living in cold homes suffer from extra health problems as a result, but also supported the case for the health sector to work with others to secure action like insulation, more efficient heating and energy advice to make homes easier and cheaper to keep warm.