HUNDREDS of people in Barnsley spent their final months living in poverty last year, a shock new study has revealed.

End-of-life charity Marie Curie, which carried out the research, estimated that 504 people were classed as living in poverty when they lost their lives.

Barnsley’s now the 40th most deprived area in the country, figures also revealed, which added that 537 more deaths were attributed to fuel poverty.

It also shows that more than a fifth - 22 per cent - of areas in the town are classed as ‘highly deprived’, more than double the national average which stands at just ten per cent.

Each area’s overall deprivation level is based on its rank across seven categories.

Those categories are income, employment, education and skills, health and disability, crime, barriers to housing and living environment.

The most deprived area in Barnsley is Lundwood, which is the 459th worst-off area in the country out of a possible 33,000.

Another is in Cudworth - around Darfield Road - which stands at the 475th most deprived.

The other is Worsbrough, an area often deemed as one of the most deprived in the town.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero say 15.8 per cent of households in Barnsley were estimated to be in fuel poverty - the equivalent of 17,666 homes in the area.

Matthew Reed, chief executive of Marie Curie, said it was ‘heartbreaking’ that people nearing the end of their lives are worrying about basic needs and finance.

He added: “Social tariffs on energy bills, council tax relief and equity in end-of-life benefits are not just policy choices - they are a lifeline for dying people and their families.

“We urge political leaders and policymakers to consider these actionable and realistic policy recommendations so dying people no longer have to spend their precious final months in cold homes, facing spiralling bills and impossible decisions.

“Nobody should die in poverty.

“Every person deserves comfort and dignity at the end of their life.”

The report’s conclusion said there is ‘no single solution to ending deaths in poverty or fuel poverty’, adding there are practical steps governments across the UK can take to reduce the prevalence of poverty at the end of life.

A government spokesperson added: “Everyone should be able to spend their final days with dignity, and there are special rules in place so those nearing the end of their life get faster, easier access to benefits, in most cases at the highest rate.

“Alongside this, we’re taking action to ease financial pressures including expanding the £150 Warm Home Discount to up to six million UK households and providing record amounts of funding to local councils through the Crisis and Resilience Fund to support those who need it most.

“As part of our Plan For Change, we’re also investing more than £1bn in homelessness services and delivering a record £39bn in affordable and social housing.”

Barnsley North MP Dan Jarvis told the Chronicle: “There are many, many reasons we can be proud to call Barnsley our home - but that doesn’t mean we can’t acknowledge that there are some challenges.

“Successive governments promised to ‘Level Up’, but these figures show that they failed to invest properly in Barnsley.

“I’m proud to serve in a Labour government that is backing up our words with action - and investment.

“Our new devolution bill and children’s development funding - including £500m for early years and £1bn in crisis support - will help us shift the dial on poverty, as will the cash injection Barnsley received from Labour’s Plan for Neighbourhoods.

“We will tackle deprivation head on.”