Pensioners Starving

4.20.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 17th Feb 2005

Graham Oakes has reacted to a shocking survey that revealed one in ten pensioners are going without food so they can afford to keep warm.

"Last winter 2,200 people over the age of 65 died in the South West as a direct result of the cold"

The survey also found one in seven struggled to keep warm, with more than one in four turning their heating off in the afternoons to reduce their bills.

The survey also worried Graham Oakes, a Nurse. As it showed a third of pensioners believe a cold home is a healthy home. "Hypothermia is a real risk to peoples' health and even here in the warmest part of Britain people will die of it this winter." Prolonged exposure to cold - below 16C or 60F - also increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

"More people will die of the cold in Britain this winter than in comparable mainland Europe countries."

Earlier this month Lib Dem research revealed that 1666 pensioner households in South Dorset were not receiving Pension Credits.

"We need to improve the information given to pensioners. Pensioners didn't claim Pension Credits and now this survey shows only one in five older people know about heating improvement grants."

"We also need to reduce pensioner poverty by giving them a fair pension."

The poll was carried out by NOP on behalf of the British Gas Help the Aged partnership.