THREE-QUARTERS of older people in Britain are worried about the rising cost of living with nearly a quarter fearing they will have to choose between heating or eating, a survey has revealed.

More than nine million people over the age of 65 are worried about rising costs, according to Age UK.

Over half of those surveyed said they will have to heat their homes less if their energy bills substantially increase.

In total, 43 per cent said they would have to cut back, go into debt or simply will not be able to afford to pay their bill.

Energy bills are anticipated to rise by as much as 50 per cent from April.

Age UK is warning that many older people are missing out on much needed extra income as well as vital support such as cold weather payments and the warm home discount scheme because they are not receiving pension credit despite being eligible.

Seventy-five-year-old Ron said: “Surviving on the state pension with guaranteed pension credit just about keeps your head above water.

“With the expected rise in utility bills I, like many more, will be slowly sinking.”

Another older person, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “[I am] terrified to have the heating on too long to keep my home warm.

“Everything is spiralling out of control in price leaving us pensioners to struggle to live.

“The £200 heating allowance I receive will not help much towards the high costs of energy now.”

Labour shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that the “simple truth” was that older people and pensioners are “worse off under the Tories.”

He said: “This is a desperate cost of living crisis, but instead of action on energy bills we have a government paralysed by trying to save [PM] Boris Johnson rather than putting the needs of pensioners first.”

The National Pensioners Convention and supporters will gather outside Downing Street on February 7 at 10am to call for a halt to the “horrendous” gas price increases and for government action to make sure older people have well insulated and warm homes with income to pay their fuel bills.

In a statement, the group said: “Pensioners are already dying from cold-related illnesses and will die in far larger numbers if these fuel hikes are not stopped.”