A LACK of financial support for elderly people to pay fuel bills could mean "many" will die this winter, the Commissioner for Older People has said.
The warning comes as MLAs levelled criticism at the Emergency Winter Fuel Payment scheme aimed at helping households tackle rising fuel costs.
The Department for Communities scheme, which opened for applications last week, has been capped at 330 daily payments, meaning many are unable to apply for the £100 payout.
East Belfast UUP MLA Andy Allen told Stormont's Communities Committee the scheme was "not fit for purpose" after saying he received numerous calls from constituents unable to access it.
However, a department spokesman told the committee that the fund, which is being delivered with the help of the Bryson Charitable Group, was not aimed at relieving every one of the up to 300,000 households in the north facing fuel poverty, and was only for people "facing disconnection in the next few days".
Commissioner for Older People Eddie Lynch, said the scheme "falls far short" of what is required to help older people.
"The scheme is said to benefit 20,000 households in Northern Ireland, but we know that alone there are over 50,000 pensioners living in relative poverty," he said.
"If we don’t see significant extra payments to those most in need in the coming weeks, I fear that many more people will succumb to the winter this year. This really is a matter of life and death for many, many people, particularly those who are old and vulnerable."
