Elderly urged to donate their fuel allowance to poor

Londoners were today urged to help more than half a million of the capital's households living in fuel poverty.

The Surviving Winter appeal, which was launched at the House of Commons, asks older people who feel they could manage without the Government's Winter Fuel Payment to donate it to the fund to help other older people in greater need.

Donations to the appeal will help those who struggle to stay warm and well through winter.

Official figures show that more than 535,000 of London households are in fuel poverty, spending a disproportionate amount of their income on energy bills.

It has been estimated that in London alone about 2,540 older people died last year because of the extreme cold weather.

One anonymous disabled pensioner said he was struggling to pay his fuel bills and felt he had to choose between staying warm and buying food. With help from charity Advocacy For Older People, he was able to swap his prepayment metres for a direct debit and has improved the insulation in his home.

In London, the Capital Community Foundation, which is part of a national campaign, will partner the national fuel poverty charity National Energy Action to help older people break the cycle of fuel poverty.

Sonal Shah, of the Capital Community Foundation, said: "One of the huge issues in London now is the growing population of older people living in shocking conditions, alone and seemingly forgotten by the outside world. The Surviving Winter campaign seeks to change this."

The appeal is supported by Saga Magazine and has support from a raft of celebrities including Terry Wogan, Joanna Lumley and Sir Michael Parkinson. Wogan said: "This is an excellent way for local people to help some of the most vulnerable older people in their area. I'll certainly pass my payment on, and encourage everybody who can, to contribute towards it."

To donate to the appeal visit survivingwinterlondon.org.uk