Rise in 'fuel poverty' coincides with doubling of hypothermia deaths as energy giants prepare multi-billion pound profits

The number of pensioners dying from hypothermia has nearly doubled in five years, a period when a succession of cold winters has been coupled with drastic rises in energy bills.

The official figures emerged after several days of Arctic conditions which drove temperatures across the whole country as low as minus 10C (14F).

They showed that 1,876 patients were treated in hospital for hypothermia in 2010/11, up from 950 in 2006/07.... more: