Dr Amir Khan has shared the main health issues to look for amid the energy price hike.
Ofgem are preparing to announce a new price cap on energy bills, which will take effect in April. It is believed that the hike could be around £630 as the Chancellor Rishi Sunak plans a press conference to announce support for those families struggling financially.
And now Dr Khan has spoken out on ITV’s Lorraine this morning, as he fears it will have a devastating effect on people’s health. As a doctor, he said he knows he will see the effects on patients attending his GP practice.
“This is all coming at the same time as a national insurance hike for lots of people even for those with low wages, so people will be making difficult decisions between heating their homes, feeding their families, being able to pay for their prescriptions – it all has an impact on their health,” he said as he discussed the upcoming news.
“It has a really devastating impact on their health. The first thing – if you can’t afford to heat your home, it actually causes an increased risk of developing heart attacks and strokes because your blood vessels contract to conserve heat, which pushes your blood pressure up, and over time that has an impact on your heart attack risk.”
