The True Cost of Winter

On a clear day he heads off for his daily walk, passing parks, stopping for basics, savouring the air before returning home. Alone.
He watches the barometer creep slowly nearer the chill and remembers the previous two winters: the frost; the snow.
Last winter he was isolated. Neighbours cleared his path but he feared falling on it.

His own family live a fair distance away. At 93, his siblings are long gone.

He never married: his working life devoted to serving his country.

When the chill comes, he spends days fully clothed and in bed, living in one room with a single storage heater and a radio for company. The other rooms are cold, dark, uninviting.
He cannot afford to heat them.

He has survived 93 years, a war, his family, cancer.

This year he wonders if he will survive the winter.


On the same day, on a different planet, four of the ‘Big Six’ fuel company bosses warm themselves over their 15% to 63% pay rises.
In their cosy little bubble, they are protected from the cost of coincidence: a 15+% increase in the price of gas.



What you can do:

AgeUK are asking for YOUR support - ask your MP to sign the winter pledge via their website - Their campaign doesn't just affect the elderly but anyone who struggles to afford winter heating costs. Help to avoid needless deaths this winter.

Macmillan is also running a campaign. They want the Winter Fuel Payment extended to people with cancer who are in particular need and struggling with their energy bills. 1 in 4 people having cancer treatment struggle to pay their bills. Many of them turn off their heating, at a time when they are at their least active. Their treatments leave them feeling cold and many face a cut income.