Winter Heating

I am backing the national campaign that aims to highlight the plight of householders who are unable to afford to heat their homes to adequate levels this winter.

The Warm Homes Campaign is the annual winter campaign organised by energy efficiency charity National Energy Action (NEA). The campaign aims to cut the number of excess winter deaths and reduce cold-related illnesses by raising awareness of the help available to people who cannot afford to heat their homes in winter.

The inability to afford adequate heating has serious consequences for individual households and society as a whole. We need to tackle low incomes and poor energy efficiency standards in our housing so that no one has to worry about the cost of heating their homes. I believe that in this day and age, no one should have to spend winter in a cold, damp home simply because they can’t afford to put heating on, that is why I am supporting the Warm Homes Campaign and an end to fuel poverty for all my constituents. I know that the NEA has ambitious plans for a further extension of its scheme throughout the Valleys.

13.8% of households in Wales live in fuel poverty. Cold homes affect people’s health and wellbeing and are linked to cardiovascular illnesses such as heart disease and strokes, and respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis. The elderly, families with young children, people with disabilities and other low incomes are especially as risk from the dangers of cold homes.

There are an average of 62 excess winter deaths linked to cold homes every year in the Rhondda. I urge people to find out about the additional help they can get.