As winter rolls in and the days darken, Jorda feels a sense of dread. As a severe asthma sufferer, the cold weather irritates her airways and makes breathing difficult. And yet, every month, as her heating bills soar higher, she faces an agonising choice between her health and finances.
“If I don’t turn the heating on, I get sick, but if you can’t breathe you can’t stay alive,” she said. “I’ve been cooking one hot meal a day and making enough for the next because I don’t want to use the hob again, but my energy costs still seem to go up and up. If I’m struggling now, what will I do in January?”
