LEAP is delighted to part of Be Well in Cambridgeshire’s ‘Stay Well this Winter’ programme, which is a network of partners who work across the local health and social care system to mitigate the risks associated with cold weather to the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable groups who live in cold homes due to fuel poverty.
If you are at risk of or living in fuel poverty, there are several ways in which your local stay well this winter programme can help you access the services, information and potentially even financial support to keep warm and well this winter, whilst reducing your energy bills.
In the first instance contact us as we want everyone to Stay Well this Winter.
Helpful tips from the NHS include:
Keep your home warm
Follow these tips to keep you and your family warm and well at home:
- if you’re not very mobile, are 65 or over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease, heat your home to at least 18C
- keep your bedroom at 18C all night if you can – and keep bedroom window closed
- if you’re under 65, healthy and active, you can safely have your home cooler than 18C, as long as you’re comfortable
- use a hot water bottle or electric blanket to keep warm in bed – but do not use both at the same time
- have at least 1 hot meal a day – eating regularly helps keep you warm
- have hot drinks regularly
- draw curtains at dusk and keep doors closed to block out draughts
- get your heating system checked regularly by a qualified professional
Check on older neighbours and relatives
and those with heart or breathing (respiratory) problems, to make sure they:
- are safe and well
- are warm enough, especially at night
- have stocks of food and medicines so they do not need to go out during very cold weather
