Kirsty Williams AM backs national campaign for warm homes

11.13.19am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 23rd Nov 2006

Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, Kirsty Williams, is backing a national campaign highlighting the plight of householders struggling to heat their homes adequately this winter.

There are, on average, 50 deaths a year in the constituency linked to cold homes; in the winter of 2004-05 that figure rose to 90.

Ms Williams said: "It is absolutely shocking that, in this day and age, we still have people dying in this country because they cannot afford to heat their homes. As energy prices continue to rise, more and more households are pushed into fuel poverty, and it is the most vulnerable in our society (the elderly, the young, the disabled) whose health is most at risk.

"I want to see an end to fuel poverty, and that's why I'm backing National Energy Action's Warm Homes Campaign. 25 per cent of households in Wales live in fuel poverty, but there is help available, and I would urge anyone worrying about heating their homes this winter to contact my office for details of energy efficiency grants and other support."

Notes:

The Warm Homes Campaign is an annual fuel poverty campaign, organised by the energy efficiency charity National Energy Action (NEA), which aims to cut the number of excess winter deaths and reduce cold-related illnesses by raising awareness of the help available to people who cannot afford to heat their homes in winter.

The figures provided by NEA show that there were on average 50 excess winter deaths a year in the constituency 2000-2005, and 90 in the winter of 2004-2005. Excess winter deaths are defined as the extent to which incidents of mortality December-March exceeds the average of the two non-winter periods (April-July and August-November). More than 90% excess winter deaths occur in the pensioner population, and it is much more common in the UK than in other European countries with comparable standards of living but with more severe winter climates.

The Home Energy Efficiency scheme is the primary source of grants for energy efficiency improvements for households on low incomes in Wales, offering the prospect of lower fuel bills and warmer homes. For more information, call 0800 316 2815.