Money
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Pensioners' 'fuel poverty' under spotlight
You may have an elderly relative or friend who is struggling to keep warm this winter as they try to save on their heating bills - and as a result they could be putting themselves at risk
According to a report by the British Gas Help the Aged partnership, an estimated 2.5 million older people could be living in one room throughout the cold months as they attempt to keep their fuel bills low.
Many even resort to wrapping up in their outdoor clothes in an attempt to stay warm, while a large number of pensioners are cutting back on their food shopping to save money.
Cash incentives that could help with fuel costs during the cold months are also going unclaimed. In fact, billions in benefits - such as pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit - remain in Government coffers rather than going to those most in need. In some cases, this unclaimed money could prevent serious illness or even death in the winter.
Anna Pearson from Help The Aged said that winter illnesses claim the lives of 25,000 older people each year. The charity is urging ministers to simplify the claiming process through a system of automatic payments.
She told the Guardian: "The Government is literally gambling with people's lives by not doing nearly enough to end fuel poverty.
"The Government has a potential jackpot of £4.5 billion waiting for older people, but it dangles this vital cash behind a complex maze of means-tested benefits and as a result, money continually fails to reach those who need it to survive."
