Many pensioners struggle to stay warm in winter

There were 1,300 cold related deaths in the province last winter, according to Help the Aged.

The underlying reason for deaths during the winter season was said to be fuel poverty - when people have to spend more than 10% of your income to keep their house warm.

The charity launched its Winter Deaths Campaign on Thursday and called on the government to act to stem the "disgraceful and unnecessary loss of our older population".

Spokeswoman Paula Beattie said means testing prevented many of the needy in the province from being eligible for help.

"Almost half of retired households in Northern Ireland live in fuel poverty," she said.

"Therefore many older people have to make very false choices between spending their money on heating and spending the money on food."

Information packs

A survey carried out by the charity also revealed that almost two-thirds (64%) of MPs agreed that the government's strategy on winter deaths was failing.

It indicated that 67% thought the Warm Front programme - which aims to improve energy efficiency by insulating lofts and installing new boilers - should be reformed in an attempt to end fuel poverty by 2010.

Help the Aged also called on the government to increase investment in the scheme and reverse this year's budget cut of �19m.

The charity said the UK had the highest proportion of "excess" winter deaths in the European Union.

Free information packs offering advice to older people on how to stay warm during winter are available from Age Concern by telephoning freephone 0800 00 99 66.