---

Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into the links between fuel poverty and excess winter deaths; and if he will make a statement on links between the level of winter deaths and the number of households in fuel poverty since 1997. [157453] Yvette Cooper: It is estimated there were some 5.5 million fuel poor households in the United Kingdom in 1996. Further analysis suggests this may have fallen to around 4.5 million by 1999. In 2000 every pensioner household received £200 winter fuel allowance providing further help to cut fuel poverty. In the UK from December to March, there are on average between 20,000-50,000 excess deaths compared to the rest of the year. We are committed to ending the blight of fuel poverty for vulnerable households by 2010 and launched our fuel poverty strategy as a consultation document on 23 February 2001. Links have been established between cold, damp housing and increased ill-health. However, the relative contributions of cold homes, outdoor temperatures and other factors to excess winter deaths are complex and not fully understood. The Department has commissioned a systematic review of the effect of cold on otherwise healthy individuals, particularly older people. It will address: 1) the effect of cold exposure on mortality and morbidity; and 2) the effect of cold exposure on physiological changes and risk factors associated with coronary heart disease. Additionally, the Department, together with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, has funded a pilot project to look at the impact of cold homes on health. This will help determine what further research may be considered. The Department of Health has already initiated a number of measures to help combat excess winter deaths. The "Keep Warm, Keep Well" campaign, which runs from October to March each year, gives advice to the public and health professionals on staying warm in winter. Additionally, this winter the `flu vaccine on the National Health Service was extended to include everyone aged 65 and over. The vaccine can prevent complications from influenza. There is also a vaccine against pneumococcal disease which can be given at the same time as the `flu vaccine to people in high-risk groups which can help prevent pneumococcal pneumonia among other conditions.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

157453; 367 c169W

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Death Housing Fuel poverty Weather Vaccination Influenza

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk