Fuel poverty 'could lead to more winter deaths'

Fears were voiced today an island-wide increase in fuel poverty could lead to a rise in winter deaths.

The Institute of Public Health (IPH) said in its annual update on fuel poverty and health that there had been a welcome reduction in winter deaths in recent years.

However the all-Ireland body expressed concern at an cross-border increase in fuel poverty, with gains in energy efficiency and incomes being negated by rising fuel prices.

Launching the annual update Dr Helen McAvoy, senior policy adviser at the IPH, said although the number of deaths was highly variable year on year, there was a significant decrease in the number of people dying in the winter months in the two decades up to 2005.

Much of the improvement appears to have taken place since 2000. However, she said there were 1,950 excess winter deaths recorded on the island of Ireland in 2005 so there was still room for improvement.

Excess winter deaths are the numbers of people dying between December and March compared to the rest of the year.

Dr McAvoy said: “We welcome the findings that the number of deaths on the island associated with colder months has declined.

“It is certainly heartening to see that in Northern Ireland the impact of a one degree of temperature shortfall on deaths in the 1980s was three times that in the period 2000-2004.”

The IPH report points to a number of issues that serve to reduce winter deaths including the roll-out of flu vaccination campaigns, improvements in domestic heating and energy efficiency.

However, it also raised concerns that a recent trend in rapidly rising fuel poverty in both Ireland and the North may threaten the important health gains.

The Stormont Executive is today due to finally unveil its fuel poverty plan which will extend measures to tackle the fuel poverty crisis.

The health impacts of fuel poverty are increasingly being highlighted by groups working with older people, the homeless, lone parents and children’s organisations.

The IPH said while deaths of older people in winter remained a fundamental concern, research published by Save the Children Northern Ireland this month highlights the damaging health effects of fuel poverty on children.

Dr McAvoy said: “The economic downturn and fluctuating fuel prices mean that for many people the challenge of fuel poverty is becoming even more immediate.”

The institute cites a prediction from the Economic and Social Research Institute of an increase in fuel poverty in Ireland from 16% in 2005 to 19% in 2008.

Research in the North highlighted fuel poverty rising from 25% in 2004 to 34% in 2006.

As Finance Minister Nigel Dodds prepared to outline the Executive’s plans, Dr McAvoy said: “Alleviating financial strain and protecting the health and social well-being of fuel-poor householders must remain a priority across government.

“With growing unemployment and significant cost increases during the past 12 months for home heating, there is a risk of fuel poverty increasing even further across many groups in society, but most acutely amongst vulnerable groups including the unemployed, working poor and renting families.”.

She commended the establishment of the NI Fuel Poverty Taskforce and the Interdepartmental Group on Energy Affordability here.

She said their strategies to target the fuel poor needed to encompass the owner-occupier, private rented and social housing sector and not be limited to those claiming social welfare benefits.