NEW figures show that 10,000 households in Blackburn with Darwen are suffering from fuel poverty and that the number is set to double because of the cost of living crisis.

The statistic is revealed by the council's director of public health Abdul Razaq in the decision notice to award a new contract for the borough's Safe and Warm Homes Service.

The three-year deal worth £257,355 from April 1 has been given to Care Network with an option to extend it for a further two years.

In a report to councillors Mr Razaq says: "A study has found that families who are already the most deprived will be hit the hardest by the increase in the cost of living as they have nothing left to cut.

"This is subsequently a driver of poor mental health and will cause an increase in the demand for both safe and warm home services and mental health services.

"This will be particularly true for Blackburn with Darwen.

"Key statistics for Blackburn with Darwen are:

"• 46.9 per cent of children are living in relative poverty;

"• 16.4 per cent of houses are in fuel poverty (10,000 and expected to double due to cost of living crisis);

"• 32.7 per cent of older people live alone in the borough;

"• 1,143 formal diagnoses of dementia within the borough for those aged 65 and over (35 per cent increase expected by 2030); and

"• 30.3 per cent of residents have a limiting long-term illness/disability.

"From the evidence presented, this service is necessary to improve the health of the borough.

"The purpose of the Safe and Warm Home service is to increase the awareness of the link between health and housing, develop a network of healthy homes champions to promote safe and warm

home messages and provide targeted and coordinated support for residents who may need help in keeping their home warm and safe to live in.

"The service will carry out home risk assessments and provide advice and signposting for suitable interventions to keep the home environment safe and warm.

"Advice and signposting are a universal provision but the targeted provisions and interventions are for the most vulnerable households within the borough.

"The service can be expanded to include a dementia provision, increase volunteer training and target additional resources at the black, Asian and minority ethnic community.

"A three-year-contract will enable the successful provider to develop the service to meet the changing needs of the residents in the borough."