Today activists from Greenpeace and the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) joined forces outside Parliament to challenge George Osborne to take urgent action to end fuel poverty as official figures showed there had been 25,700 excess winter deaths in 2010/11.
To bring the shocking reality of freezing homes to George Osborne’s attention, Greenpeace and the NPC created a life sized ice covered living room, on St Margaret’s Street, right outside parliament.
Commenting on the joint action, John Sauven, Executive Director of Greenpeace said:
“Today’s figures on excess winter deaths are a chilling warning that urgent action is needed by George Osborne to protect lives this winter after the big six energy companies have sent bills soaring. This is a crisis. The Chancellor must use his Autumn Statement to raise the winter fuel payment to older people and restore the funding for home insulation to save lives, help hard pressed households, create jobs and reduce climate wrecking carbon emissions.
“Increased tax revenues from higher fuel bills can help cover the costs. In addition there will be tax income from new jobs in the insulation industry and NHS savings. At the moment the NHS is spending £850m dealing with the impact of cold housing on people's health.”
Today’s action is the first joint event organised by Greenpeace and the National Pensioners Convention following an agreement by the two organisations to work together to campaign on issues around domestic energy including energy efficiency and clean energy supplies that will bring fuel bills under control in the future.
Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention and one of today’s demonstrators said:
“Up to 3m pensioner households are already living in fuel poverty and the situation is only going to get worse now that the government has cut the winter fuel allowance at a time when the big six energy companies are hiking up their prices. Every year over 20,000 older people die from cold related illnesses - because they are unable to keep warm, which is why George Osborne must use his Autumn Statement to tackle this scandal. What older people need now is more support through a higher winter fuel allowance and more funding for home insulation measures so that when the cold weather comes they will not have to choose between heating or eating."
In his 2011 Budget George Osborne cut the level of winter fuel payments from £250 to £200 for those over 60 and cut payments from £400 to £300 for those over 80. He also slashed funding for the Warm Front insulation scheme for those most in need. Warm Front was designed to make homes cheaper to heat and cut climate damaging carbon emissions. The Warm Front budget has been cut from £345m to £110m.
ENDS
For press enquiries call Niall on 07711 156 881
For photos of today’s action call the Greenpeace picture desk call 0207 865 8118
Notes to Editors
Letter from Greenpeace and NPC to George Osborne click this link
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/document/excess-winter-deaths-letter-george-osborne
Joint Letter to MPs click this link
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/document/excess-winter-deaths-letter-mps
