Pensioners struggling to heat homes

Charities estimate that 2.7 million pensioners are living in fuel poverty, spending more than ten per cent of their household income on heating their homes.

And watchdog Consumer Focus estimates that soaring fuel bills in recent years have left a total of 6.6 million people in fuel poverty, including more than 380,000 in Yorkshire and the Humber.

It means Labour's manifesto pledge to have no vulnerable person in such a situation by 2010 is almost certain not be realised, while abolishing it for everybody by 2015 also looks unlikely.

Jonathan Stearn, energy expert for Consumer Focus, said: "The Government's recent funding boost to the energy efficiency scheme Warm Front is welcome.

"However, we need more than a one year funding boost to fuel poverty proof the homes of vulnerable pensioners, families and disabled people.

"With around 6.6 million households struggling to heat their homes, making homes energy efficient must be the top priority of a comprehensive fuel poverty strategy."

According to Age Concern and Help the Aged, tens of thousands of pensioner households in the region are "fuel poor".

Last year 3,300 people aged over 65 died because of the cold – up from 2,180 the year before – and cold weather in December raised fears for the elderly this winter.

Bradford West has the third highest proportion of pensioner households in fuel poverty – 7.7 per cent, while Bradford North and Leeds Central also feature in the top 20 constituencies. Between the three constituencies, there are 8,231 homes struggling to meet their bills.

Consumer Focus, the independent champion for consumers, says the average energy bill is currently 1,235 per year. While gas bills rose by 51 per cent last year and electricity by 28 per cent, they have only come down by six and eight per cent, respectively, this year.

A Labour spokesman said: "The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty. We have introduced the Winter Fuel Payment, insulation grants through the Warm Front scheme, and now through the Energy Bill there will be extra help for vulnerable people struggling with their fuel bills."

However pensioners have also questioned just how much progress the Government has made towards tackling pensioner poverty.