Freezing weather caused 2,500 UK deaths as pensioners struggle to heat homes
How bitterly cold weather killed 2,500 Brits in just one winter
- New figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reveal 2,500 deaths were linked to cold weather last winter, with 864 occurring in people's homes.
- The majority of these fatalities affected individuals over 85, primarily during a six-day cold snap in January 2025.
- Campaigners from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition described the data as an "awful reality", highlighting the dangers faced by pensioners living in cold, damp housing.
- The coalition criticised the government's earlier attempt to remove Winter Fuel Payments from millions of pensioners, arguing it would have had "deadly consequences".
- Experts noted an increased vulnerability to cold weather over recent years, with circulatory diseases accounting for the highest number of cold-related deaths.
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