A NEWPORT charity has warned that older people may not be able to pay bills or afford food because of the cost of living crisis.

Newport Care & Repair is a charity supporting older people.

It is one of 13 Care & Repair Agencies covering Wales, which together support more than 50,000 people.

The charity says it costs up to £910 every year on average to heat a home in Newport, and that before this crisis, around 19 per cent of over 65s were living in poverty.

This will force some older people to turn off the heating in their homes, which can worsten health conditions such as Alzheimer's, the organisation has warned.

To make things worse, rising costs for materials have made it harder for people to repair their homes ,with some putting off repairs because of Covid.

Newport Care & Repair chief cfficer, Jason Gunter said: "We believe that everyone deserves to live independently for as long as possible.

"Yet, with the cost-of-living rising the situation is becoming desperate.

"Therefore, as the local elections near, we are calling on local councillors to do everything they can to ensure our older loved ones are not abandoned."

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Newport Care & Repair caseworkers can visit older people to give free advice and support on making home repairs and saving home energy.

A piece of advice often given is to urge people to claim the benefits they are entitled to.

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales said that more £200 million of Pension Credit went unclaimed in Wales last year.

In Newport alone, claiming these benefits can raise around £400,000 per year.

The agency say they help more than 2,300 older people every year, and finish more than 2,000 home adaptations and repairs.

Last year the cost of these repairs totalled around £700,000.

Newport Care & Repair caseworker, Claire Williams said: "The need for our services is rising every year. Clients are extremely anxious about spiralling living costs and some face choices about heating their home or eating properly.

"Care & Repair help them navigate complex situations by providing holistic support, not just addressing the presenting problem, and clients really benefit from this. We help them live safely, independently, and happily in their own homes."

To contact Newport Care & Repair, call 01633 233887 or visit the website here.