With the escalating rise in the cost of living, Dorset Community Foundation fears that it’s Surviving Winter Appeal will be needed more than ever before.

The appeal works with Citizens Advice to distribute £200 grants to help to identify pensioners and vulnerable people aged 50 and over living in fuel poverty who often can only afford to heat one room for a few hours a day and routinely skip meals to save money for their bills.

Last year the appeal raised £86,400 and helped 420 people.

Grant Robson, the Foundation director said: “We are launching this year’s appeal at a time shopping bills and rents are rising every week and everyone knows about the terrifying hike in fuel bills that worry older people.

“Yes, people are receiving more government help but in real terms they are worse off than they were last year and older people are too scared and too proud to run up a debt.

“They would rather go without food at a time of year when they need all the nourishment they can get. It’s well known that colder weather exacerbates respiratory and circulatory diseases and the most recent government figures tell us that in Dorset 260 people died of cold-related illness. How can that be acceptable in a civilised country?”

East Dorset and Purbeck Citizens Advice helps the community foundation identify older people and those aged 50 and over who meet the winter fuel poverty criteria, which includes significant health conditions, being on the highest level of benefits or having little current chance of improving their life circumstances.

Its business development manager Katrina Ford said: “I think it is fair to say we have not seen anything like this before and demand is not slowing.

“We are concerned with what the demand is going to be like this winter and more than ever the funding from Surviving Winter is going to be vitally important.”

In previous years Citizens Advice advisors were able to help some people switch to cheaper tariffs but with the collapse of dozens of smaller companies that option has gone. “We still offer our income maximisation as well as the energy advice,” said Mrs Ford.

“But that is difficult when you talk to people who are in two income households and they are still unable to cope. Where do you go from there?”

One recipient of a grant last year told the charity: “It was hugely beneficial to me and my household. The worry I have over heating my flat every winter is enormous and weighs heavy on me each year. I have been scared to put my heaters on due to the cost.”

Another said: “Without it I would have definitely finished the year with a fuel debt. I am disabled with a condition that becomes unbearable in the cold and damp of winter, without heating.”

Mr Robson said: “In previous years we have asked people who feel they don’t need their government Winter Fuel Allowance to ‘recycle’ it so we can give it to someone in need.

“This year fewer people might feel they are in that position because the cost of living crisis is cutting far deeper but we hope they will still be generous and help us because cold homes and poor diet can be killers. No one needs explaining why it is going to be so tough and we will be relying on the wonderful donors who given us such generous support over the last 12 years to do so again.”

Donate to Surviving Winter at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org and find out more about applying for help by calling Citizens Advice on 01929 775500.