Winter death rates 'decrease significantly'

Getty ImagesDimitri Otis

The number of people dying from winter-related illnesses in the UK decreased significantly last year, reaching a record low, new figures show.

Data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that around 18,200 such deaths took place during the winter of 2013-14, which is the lowest level since such information was first recorded in 1950.

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However, the figures show that 11.6 per cent more people passed away throughout the winter than in the spring, summer or autumn of the year, indicating that more needs to be done to educate the public about keeping warm and healthy when the weather turns cold.

The statistics followed the same pattern they have for several years in relation to gender, with more females than males succumbing to winter-related illnesses.

Despite this, the number of men dying during the latter part of the year fell from 13,040 in 2012-13 to 7,900 in 2013-14, while for women, the figure dropped from 18,240 two years ago to 10,300 last year.

What's more, over-75s were found to be significantly more likely to die during the winter, with approximately 14,000 passing away in the 2013-14 season, in comparison to around 4,000 people aged 75 and under.

Regional variations were also seen within the data, with the highest number of these deaths occurring in the West Midlands and the lowest in the north-east.

Speaking to BBC News, Caroline Abrahams of Age UK acknowledged the improvements made over the past year, but said that it is 'a national disgrace' that the government has not done more to prevent people from living in cold and energy-inefficient homes, which is where many of the potentially fatal health problems stem from.

'It is truly shocking that thousands of older people are dying unnecessarily every winter because they cannot afford to keep warm.

'Fewer older people died last year compared to recent years, but the winter was exceptionally mild. We must not be complacent about the cold homes which cause so many deaths among older people, because who knows how bad this and future winters will be.'ADNFCR-554-ID-801763292-ADNFCR

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