Provisional figures for last winter (2015/16) show a drop in the number of winter deaths but if you remove the anomaly of the 2014/15 figures, which were skewed by high number of flu related deaths, the 2015/16 deaths are still nearly 40% higher than the number recorded in 2013/14.
Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths in the winter months (December to March) compared with the previous (August to November) and following (April to July) three months.
A key contributing factor in these deaths is the high number of people in the UK still living in cold homes, with rural parts of the country disproportionally affected because houses are typically older with poorer insulation.
With this year’s cold weather already underway, OFTEC, the trade body for the oil heating industry, is offering advice to households on keeping warm over the winter months:
- Ensure your main room is heated to a least 21C and keep other regularly used rooms to at least 18C – low temperatures increase the risk of flu and respiratory problems
- Monitor and adjust the timers on your heating controls as the weather changes – you may also want to consider upgrading your system controls
- Turn off radiators in rooms you are not using. Also ensure items such as furniture are not blocking the heat from radiators in your main rooms
- Have your boiler serviced by a registered OFTEC technician. They will check the system is working correctly, helping to avoid any breakdowns over winter.
Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC said: “Every year a significant number of people die unnecessarily as a result of living in a cold home over the winter. The shocking increase in the number of excess winter deaths seen over the past two years shows there is still much more that needs to be done to help keep vulnerable people warm.
“Fortunately, households that use oil to heat their homes are continuing to enjoy the cheapest fuel bills by far of all the main heating fuels, so they can afford to keep their heating on for longer this winter. However, during this expensive time of year, many households may still be tempted to turn down their thermostats to save money but by doing so they could be putting their health at risk.”
For more information and advice visit the oilsave website
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*Excess Winter Mortality Data, ONS November 2016