Cold home deaths in Scotland 'double' during cost of living crisis

New analysis using the official data on excess winter deaths that is due to be presented to MPs today states that 521 people are estimated to have passed away while living in a cold damp home in Scotland in 2022/23.

The study takes in Institute of Health Equity methodology that suggests 21.5% of excess winter deaths are caused by living in cold homes and has raised new concerns that not enough is being done to support those struggling to make ends meet.

According to the estimates seen by the Herald just 284 would have died as a result of cold homes in 2021/22.

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Excess winter deaths accounts for the difference between the number of fatalities during the winter months and the average number of deaths during the preceding and following months.

End Fuel Poverty Coalition which is due to present the estimates to the House of Commons Select Committee on Energy said urgent steps were needed to bring down bills and make our homes more energy efficient.

Energy Action Scotland said that a "coherent" plan was needed immediately before hundreds more Scots die from cold homes this winter.

It comes after it emerged that some 1200 more Scots were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia last year as the nation suffered the brunt of the cost of living crisis.

Scottish Ambulance Service data reveals that an average of 200 patients a week were taken to hospital last year with hypothermia classed as a temperature of less than 35C.

Some 10241 people needed treatment in 2022/23 - that's 1254 more than in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019/20.

The overwhelming bulk of the cases were in the autumn to winter months where the numbers soared by over 1000 - from 5049 to 6062.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said: "Any rise in excess winter deaths needs to be looked at in detail by policy makers. We believe that the year on year rise has been caused by a colder winter than the year before and the cost of living crisis forcing people to live in cold damp homes.

"While we can't always predict the weather, politicians can take steps to make our energy cheaper and our homes more energy efficient. This means improving long term programmes and ensuring they are adequately funded.

"Equally, if the UK government does not take action to lower energy bills for the most vulnerable, then the burden will fall on the NHS. This means that Scottish ministers must ensure that crisis planning in case of a cold winter happens now and all efforts are taken to drive down the suffering people could face this winter."

Households are due to see a fall in their energy bills from October 1 after a drop in the price cap, which limits how much suppliers can charge households for each unit of gas and electricity they use.

A typical household had been paying £2,074 a year on their dual fuel gas and electricity bill.

That is due to fall to £1,923 between October and December, according to the regulator Ofgem. But that is still nearly twice the amount that was set by Ofgem three years ago.

And this winter there is no sign of the reintroduction of a £400 energy bills support scheme to help households through this winter.

An estimated 28 million households received a £66/£67 monthly discount on their energy bills between October 2022 and March 2023, under the scheme.

More than 3000 have signed a UK Government and Parliament petition calling for the reinstatement of the scheme.

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Frazer Scott, chief executive of Energy Action Scotland said: “If the same number of people in Scotland were dying every day of winter on the roads or by other means I can only imagine that we would be admitting that we are facing an unacceptable crisis requiring urgent action.

“These numbers are people from across Scotland who died because of cold, damp homes. Neighbours, members of our communities who couldn’t afford to heat their home to a basic level, to cook hot food, boil a kettle or run a hot bath. These people were all in receipt of the Government support that went to every household last winter when energy prices were only marginally higher than they are today and in all likelihood they weren’t facing the catastrophic levels of personal debt accrued on energy bills last winter by hundreds of thousands of Scottish households who are facing this winter in the most grievous situation.

“Yet again we are approaching winter without a coherent plan for how and when we will support the most vulnerable households to ensure that those with long term conditions, disabled people, households who have increased energy needs because of medical conditions and support equipment can afford the energy they need.

“There are things we can do in Scotland and we must have commitment to act now before we condemn thousands more Scots to die this winter.”

According to Scottish Government modelling estimates, from October 2022, there were around 860,000 households in fuel poverty in Scotland - around 35% of homes.

That is 247,000 more than in 2019 when the last Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) showed 613,000 households were in fuel poverty - around 25% of homes.

Fuel poverty relates to households that must spend a high proportion of their household income to keep their home at a reasonable temperature. It is affected by three key factors - a household’s income, their fuel costs, and their energy consumption, which in turn is affected by the energy efficiency of the home.

It is defined in Scotland, that after housing costs, the total fuel costs needed to maintain a satisfactory heating regime are more than 10% of the household’s total taxable income.

An analysis from February 2022 showed that levels of fuel poverty in Scotland range from 19% in East Renfrewshire, 26% in West Lothian and 27% in Midlothian to 57% in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, 47% in Highland and 46% in Argyll and Bute.

A UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: "We recognise people are concerned about cost of living challenges and we will continue to support vulnerable households with their energy bills.

"The government spent around £40 billion covering half a typical household's energy bill over the winter, and additional help is available for the most vulnerable through an increase to the Warm Home Discount – from which we expect over 3 million households to benefit.

"Energy prices have now fallen significantly and we are keeping options under review, including for the most vulnerable households.”
The UK government said it had increased the Warm Homes Discount to £150 during 2022-23.

This was available on top of other government support which included a £900 payment for those on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioners and an extra £150 available for disabled people.

Energy Minister Gillian Martin said: “The Scottish Government has done - and continues to do - everything within our power to support the many thousands of households who continue to struggle with their energy bills. This includes tripling our Fuel Insecurity Fund to £30 million this year, in order to support even more people facing unprecedented energy costs.

“The UK Government has continually failed to take the necessary steps to support people now and make the necessary changes – which only it can take - to ensure households and businesses never experience an energy crisis like this again. With subsidised support under the Energy Price Guarantee having ended in July, it now has the means and opportunity to provide meaningful, targeted support for those that need it the most,  including the introduction of a social tariff.”