HOW CAN THIS BE THE SAD REALITY OF OUR COUNTRY?

Barbara Bolton, 87, a former newsagent, died of hypothermia because she was worried about the cost of heating her neat terraced home... as ambulance workers reveal they take the elderly to hospital fearing otherwise they will die of the cold

- Chris Riches, Paul Byrne and Hanna Geissler

 

THE shocking reality of the cost-of-living crisis is laid bare by the tragic death of a thrifty pensioner worried about soaring energy bills. 

Barbara Bolton, 87, was found by relatives unwell and alone in her freezing home.

She was taken to hospital where her family said she was diagnosed with “severe hypothermia”. The widowed great-grandmother later developed a chest infection and died. Her son Mark said his “proud” mum had refused his offers of help to pay her power bills for the neat terraced home in Bury, Greater Manchester, where she lived for 40 years.

Mark, 61, who spoke to his mother every night, said: “She was concerned about all her bills because she was a pensioner. She was careful, she was mindful of the prices and worried about them going up.” He told her to “just keep your heating on” and “don’t worry about the bills”.

Mark added: “But she was very stubborn and proud about paying her own way.”

Mrs Bolton’s tragic case emerged as ambulance workers revealed they are seeing many similar issues. One said: “You know if you leave that person at home they are probably going to die through the fact they are so cold.”

Campaigner Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices group, said older people were “switching off their heating in droves because they can’t afford the high energy prices”.