New government statistics shows hundreds of people are dying in the winter due to poorly insulated homes.

There were 780 excess winter deaths in Hertfordshire during 2017/18, according to data from a 2019 the Office for National Statistics report.

Excess winter deaths are the difference between the number of deaths in winter month and the deaths between previous months.

While provisional figures for the 2018/19 figures are only available by region, there were still 2,700 excess winter deaths recorded in the East of England.

The amount of winter deaths across England and Wales in 2018/19 did however have an overall decrease.

Hertfordshire and other rural areas saw a disproportionally higher number of winter deaths compared to other areas.

With many families looking to save money following the festive season, OFTEC, which represents the oil heating industry, is urging households not to resort to turning down the thermostat but to take other steps to reduce their fuel bills.

The advice includes:

• Keep the main living area heated to a temperature of at least 21 degrees

• Adjust your heating timers, particularly if these were changed over Christmas

• Bleed your radiators to ensure the heating system is running efficiently

• Turn off radiators in rooms you are not using

• Regularly check on vulnerable family, friends and neighbours

Malcolm Farrow, from OFTEC, said: “It is deeply concerning to once again see such high levels of excess winter deaths across Hertfordshire.

“Looking back over the past ten years, the figures reveal very little progress has been made in reducing the number of these largely preventable deaths and in many areas the situation has worsened.

“At the start of this new year, supporting the most vulnerable in society needs to be the government’s top priority.

“In particular, we must ensure that any new energy policies protect the vulnerable and do not place additional financial burden on those already struggling.”

To find out more advice from OFTEC, visit here.