Almost 5,000 excess winter deaths were caused by cold homes last year, a charity has warned MPs. Simon Francis, coordinator at the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, told the Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee that estimates suggested that there were 4,706 excess winter deaths over the winter of 2022 to 2023 caused by living in a cold and damp home in England, Scotland and Wales, up from 3,186 the winter before.
Asked if he expected the figure to increase this winter, Mr Francis said: “The signs are that people are going to be struggling more in cold, damp, homes this winter. Essentially though what we end up with is a situation where we have to hope we have a mild winter, and I don’t think that households around the country would really accept that as being acceptable that they are expected to just hope that it’s mild and that they’re not going to suffer greatly as a result of the conditions they live in.”
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