AS a constituent of Richmond MP Rishi Sunak, I have written to him highlighting a crisis that affects the most vulnerable – old and young – in our constituency and requires his urgent attention.

Every year almost 10,000 people die in the UK from living in cold homes. This is a direct result of the UK having some of the worst-insulated homes in Europe, wasting enormous amounts of energy. The poor energy efficiency of our homes leaves many with unaffordable energy bills and costs the NHS more than £1 billion every year.

I stood at the general election for the Green Party in Richmond, and met Mr Sunak at Age UK in Northallerton during the campaign, where we both promised to help the 3,976 households living in fuel poverty in the Richmond constituency. The time has come for Mr Sunak to honour that commitment and take real action to insulate homes in this constituency.

Taking responsibility and insulating these homes will bring investment and jobs into our area while easing the burden on local medical services.

There is a common-sense solution: allow home energy efficiency programmes access to Government infrastructure funds alongside energy generation.

It makes no sense that the Tory Government puts infrastructure funding into making energy but so little into insulating homes.

Leslie Rowe, Brompton on Swale.