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Council tax 'hits elderly hard' Concerns over elderly winter heat
(about 6 hours later)
Some of the UK's poorest pensioners are cutting back on food and heating because they are struggling to pay their council tax, a charity says. Senior public health officials are warning that the lives of thousands of elderly people are at risk because they cannot afford to heat their homes.
Charity Age Concern wants a £100 rise in the winter fuel payment but, despite rising gas and electricity bills, ministers say there will be no rise.
The £200 payment now covers less than a fifth of the average energy bill.
It comes as Help the Aged said rising council tax bills meant some pensioners were cutting back on food and heating.
Help the Aged said more than a third of over 65s living on the lowest household incomes saw 10% of their earnings eaten up paying the bill.Help the Aged said more than a third of over 65s living on the lowest household incomes saw 10% of their earnings eaten up paying the bill.
In a survey, 26% said they were left with either no money at the end of the month or having to forego some basics. One quarter said they were left with either no money at the end of the month or having to forego some basics, such as heating.
The government said pensioners' incomes were "higher than they have ever been". 'Inactive'
According to Help the Aged, 5% of those questioned had gone without some food, while 8% said they had cut back on heating. And Professor Rod Griffiths, president of charity the Faculty of Public Health, said if the £200 winter heating allowance did not go up, there would be many more unnecessary deaths.
He said: "There will be a lot more deaths, unnecessary deaths, because people cannot afford the fuel."
Meanwhile, Brendan Paddy from Age Concern told BBC News 24 it was vital older people were able to keep themselves warm.
"As we get older our bodies are just less able to cope with extremes of temperature they used to be," he said.
"Older people tend to spend a lot more time inactive and in their homes so it's especially important they are able to heat their homes adequately."
Hobbies neglected
The government has said that pensioners' incomes are "higher than they have ever been".
But in the Help the Aged survey, 5% of those questioned had gone without some food, while 8% said they had cut back on heating.
The report also showed that 13% - equivalent to more than a million pensioners - had had to cut back on hobbies and socialising in order to meet council tax payments.The report also showed that 13% - equivalent to more than a million pensioners - had had to cut back on hobbies and socialising in order to meet council tax payments.
Anna Pearson, senior policy officer at Help the Aged, said: "Council tax is unfair and is leaving many pensioners having to make cutbacks on basics such as food and heating. Anna Pearson, senior policy officer at Help the Aged, said: "The government must reform council tax so that it better takes account of income and in the short-term the chancellor should immediately return the £200 rebate on council tax bills to pensioners."
"The government must reform council tax so that it better takes account of income and in the short-term the chancellor should immediately return the £200 rebate on council tax bills to pensioners."
Discount withdrawnDiscount withdrawn
The £200 discount was first made available before the 2005 General Election but was later withdrawn. The £200 discount was first made available before the 2005 general election but was later withdrawn.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said the government was "proud of its record in tackling pensioner poverty" and as a result of changes since 1997, the average pensioner households were now £1,400 a year better off.A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said the government was "proud of its record in tackling pensioner poverty" and as a result of changes since 1997, the average pensioner households were now £1,400 a year better off.
He added: "Pensioners are now less likely to be in poverty than people of working age. He added: "Those in receipt of pension credit guarantee are entitled to full council tax benefit, so should not be paying any council tax bills."
"Those in receipt of pension credit guarantee are entitled to full council tax benefit, so should not be paying any council tax bills.
"We would urge all those who think they may be entitled to claim their benefits."
Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said: "This research shows the genuine hardship and distress felt by some of the most vulnerable people in society as a result of Gordon Brown's decision to drive council tax up by 84% since 1997."Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said: "This research shows the genuine hardship and distress felt by some of the most vulnerable people in society as a result of Gordon Brown's decision to drive council tax up by 84% since 1997."