Cancer patients 'twice as likely to slip into fuel
poverty'
28 October 2009
Cancer patients are twice as
likely to become the victims of fuel poverty, a charity has
stated.
According to Macmillan Cancer Support, 73 per cent of people in
cancer treatment need to use central heating more often, yet only
those over the age of 60 are eligible for support.
The charity is calling for the government to cover the costs of
patients' winter fuel bills, as well as including them in a social
tariff scheme proposed by the UK Low Carbon Transition in July that
will make energy suppliers obliged to offer cut prices to
vulnerable groups of people.
Ciaran Devane, Macmillan Cancer Support chief executive, said:
"Struggling with fuel bills is a situation that can very quickly
spiral out of control for cancer patients and it is simply not
fair.
"They need help from the government and they need it now."
According to the organisation, 43 per cent of all individuals
seeking help from the charity needed financial support to pay fuel
bills.
Macmillan Cancer Care is calling for the government and energy
companies to raise awareness of the help available for cancer
patients as part of its Freeze Out Fuel Poverty campaign.
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