Sad death illustrates isolation

One study highlighted by the new report tells of a Yorkshireman who died in his freezing home in mid-winter, and lay undiscovered for several days before police finally broke down his front door and found his body lying inside.

The charities asked for the man’s identity to remain anonymous.

Their report states: “Paul’s body was discovered at his home several days after he had died.

“Paul had been a bit of an oddity in his village community, occasionally doing his shopping on a tractor because he did not have access to car.

“He would sometimes also drive his tractor to come and buy fish-and-chips on a Saturday evening and he hadn’t been seen there for a while.

“When the police entered his home, they found that the heating was not turned on, despite it being January, and that Paul’s landlord had neglected to do some very basic repairs to the building for some time.

“Paul’s two cats also had to be fed and re-homed as a matter of urgency.”