Almost 100 elderly people living alone in Rugby have no central heating

Almost 100 people aged over 65 and living alone in Rugby has no central heating, analysis shows.

Age UK said the figures are ‘of tremendous concern’ and urged the Government to ‘make sure that it is prepared for next winter’.

According to analysis of census 2021 data by the PA news agency, 5,906 people over the age of 65 lived alone in Rugby – making up 29.3% of the age group.

Of the elderly people living alone, 85 (1.4%) did not have central heating.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at older people’s charity Age UK said having limited money in later life impacts day-to-day living and exacerbates feelings of loneliness and disconnection from society.

Ms Abrahams said: “These figures are of tremendous concern, as older people lacking central heating often find it very difficult to stay warm during the winter months with potentially serious consequences for their health and wellbeing.

“Living alone can make this situation worse as it means that one person’s income has to stretch further to cover the fixed costs of heating a home, and it can, in some cases, lead to social isolation, which can have additional negative consequences.”

She called on the Government to ensure it is prepared for next winter. “Expanding central heating access and providing suitable alternatives to keep older people warm will be absolutely key,” she said.

Across England and Wales, about 3.1 million elderly people lived alone when the census took place in March 2021. Of them, 66,000 (2.1%) had no central heating.

There was disparity across areas of the two nations with the highest proportion of older people living alone and without central heating found in Barrow in the North West (5.4%), Gwynedd in Wales (4.6%) and Portsmouth in the South East (4.5%).