The Heating and Hot water Industry Council (HHIC) is throwing its support behind the forthcoming Cold Homes Week which runs from 1 to 5 February.

During Cold Homes Week, Age UK – a charity that works with and supports older people in the UK – is calling on the government to reform its energy efficiency schemes to enable all older people to live in a warm home. Last year, 40,800 older people in England and Wales died because of the cold.

Stewart Clements, director of the HHIC said: “We must take action to stop winter deaths. During Cold Homes week we will be calling on the government to take a closer look at how we can better target those in need of support from schemes such as ECO. We want energy suppliers to work more closely with community leaders and local authorities.

“GP surgeries are also crucial in helping to identify vulnerable people. We also want action taken to support the installation of energy-efficient products, such as new controls and boilers, as these are proven ways to use less energy, reduce fuel bills and therefore help to tackle fuel poverty.”