25pc of Over 65’s are worried about staying warm this winter
28/10/2013
With energy prices rising across the board, Age UK has revealed that a quarter of over 65’s living in the UK have genuine worries about staying warm this winter.
There are around 11 million over 65’s living in the UK, and while a quarter expressed worries about staying warm, more than half say they are concerned about the rising costs of energy.
The survey from Age UK, which was administered to 1,100 over 65’s, highlights concerns over the wellbeing of older people in the UK, as prices are hiked again this autumn. It has been a rollercoaster year for energy prices, as we were told last winter that rises in the wholesale price of fuel would mean that we would have to pay more to keep the heating and lights on.
However a colder than normal winter period meant that energy firms, most notably British Gas, reported very strong financial results for the year, and we were told in May that this would be used to hold prices at a sustainable level for as long as possible.
Despite this, just last week Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, told us that prices would be raised by more than 9pc, a massive blow to consumers across the country. Other large energy suppliers, including Scottish Power, nPower and SSE followed suit, leaving consumers with few options in terms of finding competitive energy deals.
While this is a concern for most homeowners across the UK, it can be particularly bad for older citizens who are a lot more susceptible to health issues related to the cold weather. Caroline Abrahams, director at Age UK, said: “Being cold even for just a short time can be very dangerous as it increases the risk of associated health problems and preventable deaths during the winter”.
If you think you are paying too much for your energy bills, then you can review and change your plan by visiting uSwitch.
Need Advice?
If you have any questions about your finances and would like financial advice, then please get in touch with our advisers who will be happy to help.
Share this..
Related stories
Why are UK taxpayers paying the price for green energy?
The announcement that the UK government is injecting around £100 billion into a future green energy policy for the UK would normally be greeted with joy. However, the announcement that UK consumers could see their energy bills rise by up to £249 a year by 2020, has taken much of the shine of what should have been a good day for the environment.
Even though many taxpayers across th...
Is inflation dead?
The substantial fall in the rate of inflation has been welcomed across the board in the UK with investors and consumers now beginning to look to the future. However, those who believe that inflation has now been beaten and is dead may well need to review their opinions in the future. We have been in this situation before when the authorities have suggested that not only was inflation beaten but th...
Read MoreBritish Gas announces end of estimated bills
British Gas has today confirmed it will be introducing a system which will eradicate estimated bills for those customers who would rather pay accurate bills each and every month. Research by British Gas shows that estimated bills, which can vary wildly over the year, are very unpopular amongst its 16 million customers and the company is looking to create a loyalty base for the future. Customers...
Read MoreUK regulators set to legally cap financial services salary packages
The Financial Services Authority has today confirmed that a voluntary code of practice which was released earlier this year could become law and legally binding during 2009. The guidelines relate to employment packages across an array of large banks and broker-dealers in the UK and suggest that fixed salary elements are raised at the expense of bonus payments which have historically been very larg...
Read MoreUK Authorities Still Looking To EDF British Energy Tie-up
Despite talk that Centrica is ready to go with a merger plan for British Energy it seems that the UK government is determined to push through a merger with French giant EDF. Quite how the government feels that it can dictate to shareholders, apart from the fact it owns 35% of the company, is unclear but at this moment in time nobody else is even getting a look at the books.
There a...