No access to cheap energy in winter contributes to mortality rate - 20/05/2011
The excessive rate of winter mortality is still a "huge problem" and one that could be solved with the supply of cheap energy to vulnerable households.
This is the view of Michael Marmot of University College London, who recently led a review into the issue of cold homes and fuel poverty.
"We've known about excessive winter mortality in Britain for a very long time," he noted.
"[For] the most recent period the estimate was 25,000 excess winter deaths for the winter of 2009/10. So that is staggering. That was a surprise, at how big the problem is, how extensive it is, given how long we've known about it."
Professor Marmot also pointed out that a lack of cheap gas and electricity to warm homes in the winter months leads to mental health and social development problems in children.
Having to choose between paying for warmth and feeding the family is going to "pile on top" of other existing problems, he added.
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