HELP the Aged is teaming up with older people's forums in Redditch and all over the country to demand the Government takes immediate action to stem the death of older people as a result of the cold weather.

Last winter in England and Wales, 21,800 older people died as a direct result of the cold. Over the last decade, the number of deaths has reached 330,000.

The main reason is fuel poverty, which is defined as someone having to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on maintaining a decent standard of warmth in their homes.

Last year, Redditch Council agreed to inject money into a scheme with the National Energy Action charity (NEA) to save lives after it was revealed that some wards in the town contained the greatest proportion of fuel-poor in the county.

A council spokesman said: "We are currently in talks with npower and British Gas about affordable warmth for residents.

"It is hoped both companies will invest money and this will be matched by Redditch Council.

"After the money has been secured, we will look at the areas where there are high densities of fuel poverty and we will carry out insulation work in homes."

Help the Aged is calling on the Government to commit to adequate insulation and heating in older people's homes, increase investment in the Warm Front scheme and co-ordinate action across government departments to ensure measures are taken to address avoidable winter deaths.