The CWP initiative will assist in identifying and help those most at risk so they are prioritised for delivery when it comes to heating oil supplies throughout the winter months, especially during periods of extreme cold weather or fuel shortages.
According to The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), each year in the UK, there are 40,000 so-called ‘excess winter deaths' as a result of cold. 82.5% of these are among the elderly (aged 75 and over). Based on ONS data, in England alone there were as many as 1,724 extra deaths during the 'Beast from the East' (22 February to 3 March 2018). Across the UK the number the number may even be as high as 2000.
FPS Chief Executive Guy Pulham comments: "Cold Weather Priority is an important industry initiative that was launched in 2017 and played a key role in the heavy snow ‘Beast From The East' we experienced earlier this year. Many of our members implemented the CWP scheme to help prioritise elderly and vulnerable customers during that bad weather period. Thankfully, situations where supplies of fuel are short and the cold is extreme are rare but before the winter sets in we are asking members of the public who are aged 75 and over to get in touch with their FPS member heating oil supplier if they believe they should be part of the CWP initiative.
"FPS members will also over the next few months be employing various methods to identify customers who they believe fall into the ‘CWP' category, so that deliveries can be prioritised to these people during the winter months."
The CWP initiative has also received support from The Rt Hon Claire Perry MP, Minister of State, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy who comments: "The last 12 months have shown the problems that severe conditions can cause and for those using heating oil and liquified petroleum gas to heat their homes this can be particularly challenging. The Cold Weather Priority Initiative is a welcome effort by industry to provide security and comfort to thousands of those most in need."
If you would like to know more about the scheme, please visit Cold Weather Priority.