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Age Concern is calling for changes in the law so that there is no repetition of the recent case where two pensioners died after having their gas supply cut off.

The bodies of George and Gertrude Bates, both in their eighties, were found in October in their house in Tooting, London, two months after British Gas disconnected their gas due to non-payment of a £140 bill. George Bates died of hypothermia and his wife of a heart attack.

Age Concern said the law on information-sharing should be re-addressed to ensure a balance between privacy and well-being.


Amid growing concern that the Data Protection Act 1998 could be putting lives at risk, health secretary John Reid said: "If there are data protection regulations that prevent people's lives being saved, there is obviously something wrong."

A spokesperson for British Gas said the coroner had acknowledged that the company had followed the correct processes.