Pensioners trade eating for heating says report
This article powerfully reminds us of how another cost pressure on elderly people with fixed incomes can have dire effects on simple quality of life issues in rural England.
It explains “Pensioners use less than half of their winter fuel payment for heating, while many cut back on food during cold snaps in order to spend more on keeping warm, a report has indicated.
“Older people are 14 times more likely to spend money they receive from the winter fuel payment on heating bills than if they had been given the same amount of money through other means, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). “
I do find the unerring ability of utility companies to record huge profits and put their prices up by up to 10 times the overall rate of inflation despicable. I know this is a strong word but this is a very strong and important issue.
I wonder if some innovation around local responses to high fuel costs copying the sort of initiatives which have been successful in the local food agenda, providing cheaper more wholesome local eating options, might not be replicated around this problem?