Almost 10% of households in Cambridgeshire

go cold over winter

In one of the most prosperous counties in the UK, many households simply cannot afford to keep adequately warm over winter. Incredibly, many parts of our county are amongst the worst nationally for fuel poverty. Thousands of older and vulnerable people are often forced to choose between heating and eating during the winter. The coronavirus pandemic means that many this winter face a real crisis.

Sadly, we know that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is having a terrible effect on personal finances. This means that people will lose income, or their jobs. This will worsen fuel poverty and alongside the pandemic creates an awful situation for many. It is not simply an issue of being comfortable in your home - fuel poverty is a desperate situation affecting the most vulnerable. Incredibly, Cambridgeshire is one of the worst places nationally for fuel poverty and people facing fuel poverty are at serious risk of:

Excess winter deaths - about 100 people across the county die over winter because of fuel poverty

Poor physical & mental health - children in cold homes are more than twice as likely to suffer respiratory problems & with the threat of Covid-19, respiratory problems are even more concerning!

Negative effects on education in children imagine home educating young children in an icy cold home!

CCF is determined to do something about this. We want warm homes for thousands of vulnerable people right across Cambridgeshire.

Everyone in Cambridgeshire over the age of 65 receives a non-means-tested Winter Fuel Payment, whether they need it or not. If you don't need it, please donate an equivalent or part of it to the Surviving Winter Appeal, so that it can help other people or families in the county living in fuel poverty. We would also be very grateful for any donations, of any amount from people of all ages who simply want to support our appeal.

The Surviving Winter Appeal is quite simply a life saver.