Warning over more winter cold deaths

The Government has been accused of “sitting on its hands” while people are dying from the cold.

The claim follows the release of figures that show the number of people under 64 who died last winter increased across the region.

There were 3,400 “excess” winter deaths across the North-West in winter 2010-11, down from 3,520 the previous year according to the Office of National Statistics.

But while deaths among people over 65 were down, mortality among under 64s increased from 340 to 500.

The mean temperature in December, 2010, was nearly 5C lower than the five-year average, but the statisticians who calculate excess winter mortality by comparing death rates with levels during summer months, said January to March temperatures were close to or above average.

A spokesman for the National Pensioners’ Convention said: “The situation is scandalous whether it was one person or 100,000 dying. The Government is sitting on its hands while older people are dying.”

He said the group expected to see the figures rise again.