13 November 2007
Britain's elderly are set to suffer from severe 'fuel poverty' this winter, new research from Help the Aged suggests.
Just over 2 million cash-strapped pensioners are planning to switch off central heating appliances in a bid to save money on energy bills despite the cold - and around 2.5 million will also stay in one small heated area of their homes all winter in order to save money.
Meanwhile, around £4.5 billion of benefits earmarked by authorities for the elderly to help the elderly stay warm during the winter this year remains unclaimed.
Tragically, the charity says that this reluctance to go to the government for help could cost the lives of 25,000 people each year - and, in response, it has launched an awareness campaign to publicise the state benefits.
June Whitfield, an ambassador for Help the Aged, commented: "Through an ongoing commitment to helping older people in the winter, we have learned that with the right benefits advice and support older people do receive the benefits they are entitled to."
Spokesperson for the campaign Anna Pearson also blamed government red tape for the billions left unclaimed.
"The government…dangles this vital cash behind a complex maze of means-tested benefits and as a result, money continually fails to reach those who need it to survive," she said.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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