Exclusive By Phil Coleman and Anika Bourley

Last updated at 11:30, Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Pensioners in North Cumbria are going without food so they can afford to pay the rising cost of fuel.

Rising fuel prices are hitting pensioners hard

The shocking revelation from debt advice staff in Carlisle came as new Government figures showed that more than 9,000 people in the north and west of the county are now in fuel poverty.

The figures mean that 2,900 families across Carlisle, 2,700 in Allerdale, 2,100 in Copeland and a further 1,500 households in Eden must now spend more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel bills.

There are growing fears the situation could worsen dramatically in the winter.

Carlisle Community Law Centre today gave a disturbing insight into the extent of the poverty being created by the credit crunch and rising food and fuel prices.

The centre’s debt advisor Laura Robinson said: “We’ve seen an increase in fuel and water rate debts, linked to the increases in the cost of living. People on Income Support are finding it harder and harder to make their benefit stretch.

“Fuel debts used to be rare but it’s now a regular occurrence and it’s not just people who are on benefits. It’s also people who are working.

“Some people are missing meals to save money, especially pensioners.

“They regard it as important to pay their bills, and to make sure they’ve got the money some are only having one meal a day. They’re literally going hungry.”

Law Centre staff now regularly see pensioners in this position, she said.

Laura added: “I recently referred one man to Age Concern because I was so concerned about the lack of food he was eating.

“I though it was leaving him not able to manage. We estimate we see only a fraction of the people who are struggling because pensioners tend not to ask for help.”

Lesley-Ann Walsh, a debt advisor with Carlisle’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau, said: “Housekeeping – food and clothing – is the one bit of your budget you can control so if you’re on a low income that’s what gets hammered.”

The Government estimates 2.5 million households are in fuel poverty but Age Concern believe the figure could be as high as 4.5 million.

More than 90 MPs in Westminster, including Carlisle MP Eric Martlew, want the Government impose a windfall tax on energy companies as concern for people on low incomes grows with energy suppliers announcing steep rises in the price of gas and electricity.

Age Concern fears almost one in five UK households – an estimated 4.5 million – live in fuel poverty and if energy prices go up 40 per cent, it could rise to around 6 million households.

If the rise was seen across the country it could mean the 9,200 total for north and west Cumbria could see an additional 3,3036 households in fuel poverty.

Carlisle’s branch of Age Concern has seen more pensioners asking for help in checking their benefits.

“It’s causing hardship,” said Jayne Povey, the charity’s advice services manager, referring to the rising cost of fuel and food.

She added: “People are obviously thinking that winter’s coming and we had a bad winter last year. There’s concern about what’s coming.”

Gordon Lishman, director General of Age Concern, said: “The Government must seize control of this escalating crisis and take immediate action to ease the pressure on millions of households.

“As an emergency measure to help alleviate the problem this winter, the Government and energy companies should be working together to offer ‘fuel vouchers’ to the poorest pensioners.

“In order to stand a real chance of helping the poorest pensioners, the Government must make it mandatory for energy companies to offer social tariffs at the cheapest rates.”

The latest figures come days after there was further misery for thousands of households across the district as two of Britain’s energy suppliers upped their gas and electricity prices.

The decision means E.ON and Scottish and Southern Energy dual fuel customers will pay an estimated £200 more each year. It follows similar rises from British Gas and EDF Energy last month.

The government has asked Ofgem for guidelines calling for social tariffs to be set at the lowest prices.

First published at 11:47, Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk