Fuel poverty makes you sick – so why has nothing changed since I was a child living in a cold home?

During the 1970s and 1980s I grew up in a cold home. On very cold mornings, ice would be crusted on my bedroom window and my every breath would condense in the air.

Things had to be done in a rush to avoid the cold. I remember not wanting to get out of bed, then once I was up, rushing to get dressed in clothes that felt damp before hurrying downstairs to warm them in front of the fan heater. We only ventured from the one warm room in the house each evening if necessary, usually to dash to the toilet or quickly make a cup of tea. Bedrooms were no-go areas until you had to go to sleep…

© La Conversation - mardi 14 mars 2023