Fuel poverty will kill terminally ill Scots quicker this winter, charity warns

Fuel poverty will kill Scottish people quicker this winter as terminally ill people struggle to afford to heat their homes, end of life charity Marie Curie has warned.

High energy bills, delays in accessing benefits and the other costs associated with their illness are leaving terminally ill people struggling to afford their heating costs, the charity said, with families feeling the pressure to support them.

A report released by the charity found that between 2014 and 2019 in Scotland there were 16,500 excess winter deaths.

Some 710 of these were from chronic lower respiratory diseases, and 930 deaths from dementia attributed to cold, damp housing.

In line with Fuel Poverty Awareness Day on November 27, the charity called for greater financial support and guidance to support dying people out of fuel poverty.

“It is shocking that any dying person should spend the end of their life in cold, damp and uncomfortable conditions, robbed of the best quality of life possible because of unaffordable heating costs,” said Richard Meade, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie Scotland.

“We know that terminally ill people are among the most vulnerable to fuel poverty and the consequences can be devastating. Throughout the pandemic, our community nurses have continued to provide care and support to people at end of life in their homes across the country, but we need to make sure they are in a comfortable, warm environment so they are not forced into hospitals, increasing pressure on an already stretched NHS.

“We must ensure all those who can access benefits and support such as the Scottish Government’s Warmer Homes Scotland are able and supported to do so.”

Frazer Scott, CEO of Energy Action Scotland, a charity campaigning to end fuel poverty, said: “It is simply unacceptable that people struggling with chronic or life limiting conditions cannot afford to adequately heat their own homes.

"Worries about affording energy, about bills and comfort should be the furthest thing from the minds of people focusing on their health. Benefit entitlements must be streamlined to make them more responsive to individuals’ need for adequate levels of warmth to support their well-being. It needs to be simpler.

“Energy Action Scotland has been working with local and national partners for a number of years to support people with cancer struggling with their energy needs.

"The relief we see in those who are warmer and less worried about bills and debt is profoundly moving. But it shouldn’t be this way. It should be the norm. We need more action, more investment prioritised to those that need it most. It will ensure that people remain well for as long as possible. It will save lives.”

As of 2018 there were 619,000 households in Scotland living in fuel poverty.

In Scotland, a household is considered “fuel poor” if required fuel costs are more than 10 per cent of net income after housing costs, and the money left over after housing, fuel and childcare costs is not enough for an acceptable standard of living.

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