New figures show tens of thousands of older people in Oldham received help to pay their heating bills last winter but charities fear energy bills will remain unaffordable during the cost-of-living crisis, even with the 'lifeline'.

The winter fuel payment is a tax-free annual benefit that is paid to people over pension credit age to help them with their bills through the cold winter months.

Figures by the Department for Work and Pensions show 35,706 older people received a winter fuel payment in 2021 in the borough - up from 35,566 the year before.

Of them, 9,348 were aged over 80, while a further 8,335 were aged 69 and under.

The winter fuel payment is processed to anyone who was born on or before September 25 1956 and who has lived in the UK for at least one day during the qualifying week, which was from September 19 to 25 this year.

Payments range between £100 and £300 normally, but the government increased them by £300 for 2022-23 due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Most will be paid automatically in November and December.

But as people across the country are grappling with soaring energy bills, charities including Age UK and National Energy Action said spiralling prices are making it increasingly difficult for older people to heat their homes, even with the "crucial lifeline".

The problem has been exacerbated by the government's u-turn on its energy price cap guarantee, which caps energy bills of a typical household at £2,500, which is now due to end in April 2023.

Once the price cap ends, energy market researcher Cornwall Insight predcts a typical household will spent £3,700 per year.

National Energy Action (NEA) director of policy, Peter Smith said: "The frailest and elderly and many other groups face serious health impacts as a result of fuel poverty this winter.

"People living on low, fixed incomes, are finding it impossible to respond to big increases in their energy bills."

Mr Smith also said more than one million people eligible for pension credit do not claim it, adding to their cost-of-living strain, and said energy bills are "likely to stay unaffordable for many older people this winter and next" despite the winter fuel payments.