Call for action as hundreds die in cold Wiltshire homes
THERE are calls for the government to tackle a cold home crisis as new figures show there were 320 excess winter deaths in Wiltshire between 2019 and 2020, excluding those from Covid-19.
Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths recorded in the cold months (December to March) compared with the average number of deaths in the warmer four-month periods before (August to November) and after (April to July).
OFTEC, a trade association in the off-gas grid heating sector, expressed concern that many of these preventable deaths could be caused by people living in cold homes, particularly in rural areas where properties are typically older, less energy efficient and harder to keep warm.
Living in cold temperatures can lead to high blood pressure and a weakened immune system, which puts older people in particular at greater risk of developing respiratory and cardiovascular disease alongside other seasonal illnesses. Public Health England suggests over one-fifth of excess deaths during winter are directly linked to cold homes.
Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC, said: "As we face another winter in the midst of a global pandemic, our attention is rightly placed on protecting as many people as possible from infection. We must not forget, however, that even without the impact of the coronavirus, thousands of people continue to die in avoidable circumstances because they live in a cold home.
"Experts believe that people who are older, live with long term health conditions or have lower average income are most at risk of winter illness or mortality. We have serious concerns that another cold winter, coupled with rising living costs and the ongoing risk posed by coronavirus, could make this situation much worse, as more households face a stark choice between heating and eating."
A disproportionate number of households in rural areas live in fuel poverty and are classed as vulnerable.
In Wiltshire, around 30,400 households are classed as fuel poor, which means their disposable income after energy costs puts them below the poverty line and their home has an energy efficiency rating of band D or below.
Call for action as hundreds die in cold Wiltshire homes | Wiltshire Times