Cannock Chase Council is to spend thousands of pounds helping people who are struggling to pay their fuel bills as the cost of energy soars.

The council is planning to plough £24,000 into providing assistance to residents. Under the plan the council is drawing together an expert panel of officers who will target families and individuals who could be at risk from fuel poverty. A household suffers from fuel poverty if occupants pay more than 10 per cent of their combined income on energy bills.

Cannock Chase Council is hoping the new panel will be able to advise people living in the district of extra grants and funding available to make their home more energy efficient.

The move comes on the back of massive energy bill increases with major suppliers such as British Gas increasing their prices by 15 per cent or more.

Approximately one in six UK households are unable to affordably heat their homes and last year there were 50 winter deaths linked to cold homes in Cannock Chase.

Cold homes affect people’s health and well being and are linked to cardiovascular illnesses such as heart disease and strokes, and respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis. The elderly, families with young children, people with disabilities and others on low incomes are especially at risk from the dangers of cold homes.

Councillor Chris Collis, cabinet member for safer and stronger communities at Cannock Chase said: “For some people in Cannock Chase they have to make a decision on a daily basis whether to put the gas fire on or to eat.

“Fuel poverty is impacting on on a large amount of people, not just elderly people but hardworking families as well.”

He added: “The Government should be doing more to tackle this. They want us to do more and more and I think they should cough up the cash to allow us to do that.”

Cannock Chase Council currently works in partnership with Cannock Chase Energy Efficiency Advice Centre to provide the grants and schemes to assist residents in the district.

The EEAC tries to reduce energy usage and improve energy efficiency while also addressing fuel poverty.