Naomi Campbell is an urgent hospice care nurse for Marie Curie. She provides palliative nursing care to patients in their homes.
“Many of them are affected by fuel poverty,” Naomi said.
“I think it is getting worse. People are struggling more, and the problem is that your energy needs increase hugely when you’re dying at home.
“Somebody is already struggling with the fact that they’re dying. To then know that they can’t keep their house warm.”
Naomi said a number of factors contribute to the increased energy needs, including the need to stay warm, different sleeping patterns, and essential medical devices.
She said some patients have turned down services that could help improve their quality of life because they can’t pay their electricity bills.
Terminal illness adds further costs for patients, such as the cost of transport to and from hospital appointments, Naomi added.
“I’m really saddened,” she said.
“The support is limited, there is very little out there. There is no reduction in costs of their electricity, even though their needs are so much higher and essential for their care.”
Naomi added that Marie Curie have called for the implementation of a “social tariff” for people with terminal illnesses, to ease their financial burden.
“It would make such a huge difference to have that bit of extra money in your last months of life, so you’re comfortable and you can spend it with your family,” she said.
She said some people spend the end of their life working because they “don’t have any other access to money”.
“You end up dying not being able to keep your house warm. That to me is just devastating.”