HOUSEHOLDS in Oxfordshire are being reminded to regularly check up on vulnerable relatives and neighbours this winter to ensure they are keeping warm and well.

The call comes from Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC), which represents the oil heating industry, as new provisional figures from the ONS reveal 23,200 excess winter deaths were recorded in the UK during 2018/19.

OFTEC says people living in rural parts of the county are more likely to struggle to keep warm during the winter season because their houses tend to be older and less well insulated.

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More than 2.3 million people living in rural areas are over 65 and therefore often at greater risk of developing health problems.

OFTEC is urging everyone to check up on family members and those that could be most at risk during the colder months.

Some tips include making sure main rooms are heated to at least 21 degrees celcius; ensuring heating is working efficiently and that the boiler has recently been serviced.

Malcolm Farrow, from OFTEC, said: “It is more important than ever that we look out for our relatives, friends and most vulnerable neighbours to check they are keeping warm."