Independent: Fuel poverty killed 15,000 people last winter

An estimated 15,000 people died unnecessarily between December and March because they were living in homes they couldn’t afford to heat, new figures show.

The news has led campaigners to hit out at what they claim is an inadequate Conservative pledge to help freezing people by insulating homes.

Fuel poverty campaigners reckon the number of excess winter deaths surged last winter to 49,260, of which around 14,780 were due to people living in cold homes.