OAPs 'struggle to pay fuel bills'

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A fifth of elderly people spend their winters in one room to reduce heating bills, a survey has suggested.

The report on fuel poverty by charity Help the Aged found nearly 2m older Britons wear outdoor clothes indoors.

It added that 2.2m turned off their central heating, and 1m cut back on their food shopping, to save cash.

Anna Pearson, spokeswoman for the British Gas Help the Aged Partnership, said: "The government is literally gambling with people's lives."

She added that preventable winter illnesses claim the lives of 25,000 senior citizens each year.

Automatic payment

The study reported that 2.5m of them stay in one part of their house all winter to keep bills down.

The charity, along with British Gas, called on ministers to invest in face-to-face advice services to help the 30% of older people who are not aware of whom they should contact for help with claiming benefits.

Actress June Whitfield, a campaign ambassador, said: "Through an ongoing commitment to helping older people in the winter, we have learned that with the right benefits advice and support older people do receive the benefits they are entitled to."

In 2007, £4.5bn of state benefits earmarked for elderly people has gone unclaimed, the charity estimated.

Both Help the Aged and British Gas said automatic payment should be introduced to distribute this cash.

ICM Research questioned 1,171 adults aged over 60.