Londoners should shame the mayor into protecting home insulation scheme

The tragedy of 2,100 extra deaths of older Londoners should shame the Mayor into protecting his flagship home insulation programme.

Figures published yesterday showed that there were 2,100 excess deaths of people aged 65 and older in London last winter (1). The Office for National Statistics calculates excess winter deaths by comparing the number of deaths over the coldest, winter months with those that occur in non-winter months. The estimate is taken as a measure of how many people die due to cold, wintry conditions.

This level of excess deaths in London is disgraceful. There are measures that could be implemented to reduce this and these should be a priority. London's councils should work harder to encourage older people to claim the hundreds of millions of pounds of benefits they are owed as these could be used to keep people warm.
"The Mayor of London should also respond to pressure (2) from Green party members on the London Assembly to protect London's vital home insulation programme that would make it cheaper for people to keep their homes warm.

(1) See: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D7089.xls
(2) See: http://london.greenparty.org.uk/region/london/news/17-11-2010-Will-Londoners-be-armed-against-energy-bill-rises.html