A FUEL poverty charity is calling for action as worrying new figures show an increase in winter deaths last winter.

The South East saw 7,700 winter deaths last year with 2,310 directly attributable to people not being able to heat their homes adequately.

In Slough it is estimated that 5,626 households live in fuel poverty representing about 11 per cent of the population. While in Windsor the number is 3,170, or 7.2 per cent of the population.

Today (Friday) is Fuel Poverty Awareness day and the charity National Energy Action is calling on the UK government to invest in dramatically improving energy efficiency in homes.

Adam Scorer, chief executive of NEA said people were dying needlessly.

He said: "Living in a cold damp home can lead to extremely poor health, especially in those who are vulnerable such a young children, older people and those with long term sickness and disabilities.

"With fuel bills set to rise again, without urgent local and national action we are worried the same will keep happening each winter."

The charity says there has been a dramatic drop off in delivery of home energy efficiency improvements nationally - with cuts to council funding making it harder to monitor and enforce housing standards.

Mr Scorer said: "Local authorities are well placed to take action against landlords who do not meet statutory energy efficiency requirements or minimum housing safety standards.

"NEA is calling for the introduction of a new national Clean Growth Fuel Poverty Challenge fund, providing necessary central investment to tackle the cold homes crisis once and for all."

Some people are taking desperate measures including using candles instead of electricity to save energy, putting themselves at danger.

Mr Scorer said: "We are urging friends, families and neighbours to keep a lookout for any of these dangerous coping strategies."

For help and advice you can visit the NEA website www.nea.org.uk or twitter page on www.twitter.com/NEA_UKCharity