What to save? Ready to Switch? Get fair, unbiased information in a language you understand so you make the right choice.
Winter Survival Guide
According to the Office of National Statistics and the charity Help the Aged, 25,000 elderly people in England and Wales died of preventable, cold-related illnesses last year.
The statistics have been released as part of the charity’s campaign for free central heating and insulation for pensioners, which is currently in place in Scotland.
But as fuel prices continue to rise year on year, its not just the elderly who struggle to keep up with the growing costs, and the coming winter can seem quite daunting.
Follow our guide to keep energy costs down and your family safe from the cold.
Winter Fuel Payments
Anyone who was aged over 60 in this year’s qualifying week (18-24 September 2006) and who normally lives in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, could be eligible for help with their fuel costs this winter.
If you are aged 60 to 79 and you are entitled to receive a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get either £100 or £200, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week.
If you are aged 80 or over and you are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get an extra £50 or £100, so you could get up to £300, depending on your circumstances and you don’t have to pay tax on Winter Fuel Payments.
Go to the Pension Service website to see if you’re eligible. (See useful links)
Tips on staying warm:
Keeping warm indoors during the winter months is just as important as wrapping up before you go out, so:
Eat to keep warm. Hot food and drinks give the body energy and stop you getting cold.
Keep moving. Any activity, even doing some housework will get the circulation going and keep you warm.
Dress appropriately. Wearing several layers of thin clothing is best, and remember to wear something warm to bed too.
Keep your home warm. Hang a thermometer in your home so you can make sure that the temperature stays between 21C and 24C (70F and 75F).
Get a flu jab. The virus changes every year so you need to get a new jab each year too.
Insulate your home. Even if you can only afford to put down draft strips or hang curtains on your front and back doors, it will still make a difference.
Close your windows. Cold air on your head at night has been shown to increase blood pressure, so make sure you close your windows before going to bed.
Apply for grants and programmes. It’s not just Winter Fuel Payments that you could be entitled to, so look around. Try Help the Aged for more tips and advice. (See useful links)
Keep an eye on elderly neighbours
Talk to their family and offer to keep an eye on them. Don’t be afraid to knock on someone’s door to see if they’re okay and have a quick chat.
Low cost insulation
As well as the cheaper ways of insulating, such as draft excluders, you can also get grants to cover more expensive things like loft and cavity wall insulation and double glazing. Other ways of increasing your home’s energy efficiency can also save you money on your heating.
Keep the heat in
There are loads of grants available to those who want to lag their boiler, double glaze their windows or insulate their loft. Check out Help the Aged if you’re over 60, or visit the Energy Saving Trust (See useful links).
Save money on fuel
One of the main reasons that people suffer during the winter months is because they can’t afford to properly heat their homes. There are loads of little changes that can be made around the home to help save on utility bills, from switching to energy saving light bulbs to changing to a cheaper energy tariff. Click here to read our article on Energy efficiency.
It’s always a good idea to shop around for good deals and offers. For example BTs Here to Help programme is working with Help the Aged to fight fuel poverty, so see if you’re eligible for help from the scheme.
