Fuel poverty is putting older people’s health at risk

Sir,

Here at Age Scotland, we are urging older people to switch energy suppliers as new Scottish Government figures show a rise in those living in fuel poverty.

The latest Scottish House Condition Survey: 2018 showed that one in four Scottish households was living in fuel poverty, with previous figures showing that more than half of single pensioners live in fuel poverty, and four in 10 pensioner couples.

It is simply unacceptable that tens of thousands of older people in Scotland are spending their later years worrying about energy bills or cutting down on other necessities to pay for heating.

Many are putting themselves at risk of health problems, such as heart disease, respiratory or circulatory diseases, by not heating their homes adequately. This leads to increased winter deaths, as well as GP visits and hospital admissions.

While the Scottish Government’s Fuel Poverty Bill is a step in the right direction, there is a clear need for more action to make fuel poverty a thing of the past. We need to see the government and suppliers working together to ensure that every older person can afford to live in a warm, comfortable home.

We are encouraging all older people to see if they can save money by switching energy supplier. They should also check they are claiming all the benefits they are entitled to, including Pension Credits and Warm Home discounts, as well as help with home insulation and draft proofing.

People can get free, friendly advice via the Age Scotland Helpline on 0800 124 4222. Brian Sloan,

Age Scotland’s chief executive.