Six people die every day during winters in the north west because their homes are too cold, according to campaigners. New analysis of official data published by Greenpeace UK estimates there have been more than 8,000 excess winter deaths in the region since 2013.
The government says it has invested billions of pounds in energy efficiency measures. But Greenpeace has accused successive governments of failing to reinstate funding that was scrapped after Prime Minister David Cameron decided to cut the 'green crap'. Paul Morozzo, Greenpeace UK’s fuel poverty campaigner, said: "Thousands of people are literally freezing to death in their own homes during winter. And not only have successive governments failed to prevent this needless and shocking loss of life but they have fuelled this silent public health crisis by slashing insulation funding and failing to deliver a proper scheme to upgrade our cold, damp, draughty homes.