Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health problems like pneumonia. Find out some simple things you can do to keep warm, stay healthy and make the best use of your heating at home.
There are some simple tips to stay warm and safe in your home during the winter.
A warm home during the day
To keep warm at home during the day try to:
- heat your main living room to around 18-21oC (64-70oF) and the rest of the house to at least 16oC (61oF)
- heat all the rooms you use in the day
- make sure you keep your living room warm throughout the day and heat your bedroom before going to bed
- set the timer on your heating to come on before you get up and switch off when you go to bed
In very cold weather, set the heatig to come on earlier, rather than turn the thermostat up. This means you won't be cold while you wait for your home to heat up.
To be put in touch with an Age UK Group near you, call Age UK's freephone advice line on 0800 169 6565.
For further help and advice here are some useful links
Benefits Advice
You may be entitled to two types of extra payments to help you heat your home over the winter period:
Cold Weather payments
- A payment of £25 may be issued to help with heating bills if the temperatures is forecasted, or is below one degree for seven consecutive days between 1 November and 31 March. Tenants must be claiming pension credit, employment and support allowance, income support or income related jobseekers allowance to receive this benefit.
Winter Fuel payment
- These are one off payments to help eligible people pay for their heating in the winter. They are not linked to temperature.
For further information on Cold Weather and Winter Fuel payments please follow link below.