Labour Says Spike In Cold Deaths Underlines Urgency Of Home Insulation Scheme

Labour has renewed calls for better home insulation in response to the "appalling and avoidable" increase in excess death estimates due to cold, damp homes.

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has predicted from the latest government data that 4,950 excess winter deaths in the UK were caused by living in cold, damp homes during winter 2022/23, an increase of 1,721 people compared to estimates from last year. 

The latest figures from the Warm This Winter campaign also show that 8.3m adults in the UK are living in cold, damp homes.

Energy bills have soared in recent years following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and with Ofgem's energy price cap for January to March 2024 set at £1,928 a year – significantly higher than what it was in October 2021 at at £1,277 ,before the energy crisis began.

Exclusive polling for PoliticsHome in November by Savanta found 32 per cent of people were "very concerned" about whether they would be able to afford they energy bills this winter, with 44 per cent reporting they were "somewhat concerned". Only 17 per cent said they were "not really concerned", with just 5 per cent saying they were "not concerned at all". 

Kerry McCarthy, Labour's shadow climate minister, told PoliticsHome the latest excess death estimates from cold, damp homes demonstrated why a comprehensive plan to insulate the UK's homes was necessary.  

"This is an appalling and avoidable tragedy, underlining the urgent need for a renewed national effort to insulate homes and protect the vulnerable in winter," McCarthy said. 

“Sadly, energy efficiency rates are now 20 times lower than under the last Labour government, but Rishi Sunak has failed to act.

“Labour’s Warm Homes Plan would upgrade the millions of homes that need it, cutting bills and