Caroline has slammed the Government as new figures show more people dying from excess winter deaths last year than at any time in the last 15 years. 

She said the figures are 'an indictment of a Government that has utterly failed to get to grips with the cold homes crisis'. 

Figures from the ONS show that an estimated 43,900 excess winter deaths occurred in England and Wales in 2014/15; the highest number since 1999/00, with 27% more people dying in the winter months compared with the non-winter months.

Caroline said:

“These new figures are an indictment of a Government that has utterly failed to get to grips with the cold homes crisis in the UK. We know that at least 30% of these deaths are caused by cold homes – yet the Government has sat on its hands and failed to take the action required on energy efficiency.

“A major programme of home energy efficiency would not only save lives, but create over 100,000 jobs and more than pay for itself by returning £1.27 in tax revenue for every £1 invested. Each and every death due to cold homes is a tragedy – the Government must now wake up and take urgent action to keep people warm in the winter.”