Voluntary groups call for fuel allowance increase

Elderly and frail people may die this winter unless steps are taken to ensure that they can afford to keep themselves warm, voluntary groups have warned.

With gas prices set to increase by 34 per cent in October, and electricity by 20 per cent, organisations such as Age Action Ireland, Friends of the Elderly and the Society of St Vincent de Paul are predicting a "domestic fuel crisis" this winter, saying that people on low incomes would be forced to cut down on heating to the point of endangering their health.

They have called on the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Séamus Brennan, to increase the fuel allowance by 30 per cent. The fuel allowance, which is paid between October and April, is €14 per week.

Niamh Macken, co-ordinator of Friends of the Elderly, said that the fuel price increases were going to hit hard. "It will hit many and I know people are horrified at the price increases. It's very hard to tell people not to turn down their heating when they are struggling to make ends meet."

Gerry Scully, spokesman for Age Action Ireland, said that heating was something the elderly could not scrimp on. "It's an enormous increase in gas prices. I think it is very probable that, unless something is done to support the elderly this winter, we are going to see an increase in cold-related illnesses and even deaths. We already have one of the highest winter death rates in Europe."

The Society of St Vincent de Paul, which spent €2.8 million helping people to pay their heating bills in 2004, predicted that the figure would be "much higher" this year. Audry Deane, policy officer with the society, said that a lot more people would be looking for intervention this winter: "The way domestic fuel charges are going, there is going to be a domestic fuel crisis."

The allowance, she said, needed to be a lot higher and to be given to a lot more people.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Social and Family Affairs said that Mr Brennan was "keeping the situation regarding the price increases in those utilities closely monitored to ensure the minimum impact to customers".