Oil prices 'will cause fuel poverty among older people’

Increasing numbers of older people will now be in fuel poverty after four of the UK's six biggest gas and electricity companies raised their prices.

In the past few weeks, Npower announced a five per cent rise in prices to come into play next month, with customers of SSE, British Gas and Scottish Power all also seeing a hike in the cost of heating their home.

This has sparked worry of rising fuel poverty among sections of society such as older people who have chosen not to find a care home.

Michelle Mitchell, Age UK charity director, pointed out that the UK has one of the highest winter mortality rates in Europe and said this indicates it is a home grown problem.

"Behind these shocking statistics lie deep-seated social issues, such as 3.5 million older people in fuel poverty - a figure that could rise even further under the combined pressure of soaring energy bills and plummeting temperatures," she explained.

This comes as temperatures plummet across the UK, disrupting transport services in the run up to Christmas.

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