Older people 'struggling with energy bills'

Articles > Boiler and Plumbing News > Plumbing & Heating Installations

Predicted increases in inflation, teamed with high winter energy bills, are placing additional pressure on the finances of the UK's older people, it has been warned.

According to Age Concern and Help The Aged, people on low incomes "dread" any bounce back of inflation, which was recently predicted by the Office for National Statistics.

This is particularly the case when consumers are preparing to receive high utility bills as a result of the recent winter cold snap, which may have made them more reliant on their central heating.

Indeed, Andrew Harrop, head of policy at the charities, said: "With the leap in inflation outstripping government's predictions, many older people relying on their state pension income will be worrying about whether their incomes will stretch to meet essential costs over the coming months."

However, older people could find there are a number of government grants available to them to help them save money on their energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions.

These include the Warm Front scheme, which could see them benefiting from new insulation and more efficient heating.

There is also the new scrappage scheme, which could provide up to £400 towards the cost of a new boiler, if their current central heating is reliant on a G-rated boiler.

It could be said that taking advantage of such grants will soon see consumers saving money.
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