Government launches cold weather health plan

The government has unveiled a new plan to keep vulnerable people healthy during the colder months.

As well as creating a £20 million cold housing fund and supporting existing schemes to combat fuel poverty with an additional £10 million, the initiative will provide advice for individuals on how to prepare for the onset of chilly weather.

According to the Department of Health, the impact of cold housing on people's health costs the NHS more than £850 million a year.

"We want everyone to get ready for winter and be prepared before temperatures drop," explained health secretary Andrew Lansley, who added that there is a 20 percent increase in deaths in England each winter.

"Older people and those with long-term illnesses are particularly vulnerable to the cold," he said.

Despite the mild temperatures of recent days, conditions are expected to become much harsher as Christmas approaches.

The UK experienced its coldest December since 1910 last year, according to data from the Met Office.