Keeping warm in winter
Helping you maintain good health during winter and take advantage of the financial help and benefits available.
Temperatures
The recommended temperature for all rooms is 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit), but you may be comfortable at a higher temperature.
If the temperature is below 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit), you are at risk of hypothermia, heart attack and stroke.
Keep a thermometer to check the room temperature in your home.
Keeping your home warm
The most important areas to keep warm are the ones you spend most time in - usually the living room and bedroom. If heating bills are a great problem, consider living and sleeping in one room during the coldest time of the year.
Help is available both with heating bills and, if you are a homeowner, with insulating your home The following grants are available:
- Winter fuel payments are made by the government. If you were 60 years old before 20 September, you are entitled to it. From September 2008 this payment increased from £200 to £250 for those over 60 and from £300 to £400 for those over 80. Call the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline (details below) or visit the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website (see associated link).
- Coldbusters grant scheme for energy efficient heating and insulation measures - call the helpline to find out if you are eligible (details below).
- Houseproud scheme. This enables people to take out a loan against their house to carry out improvements, including insulation measures. The council-supported scheme guarantees that the property will not be repossessed under any circumstances. See the owner occupiers - grants associated link.
Things you can do to stay healthy in the winter months
- have regular hot meals and drinks
- avoid sitting down for long periods at a time - get up every now and again and do some simple exercise to keep your circulation going
- stock up on basic foods and medicines, so you don't have to go out if the weather is very cold
- wrap up indoors and out. Wear warm clothing in bed and use a hot water bottle
- get a flu jab. Vaccination is free to the over-65s.
Further information
The Department of Health have produced a "Keep warm, keep well: A guide for people over 60" providing useful tips and advice (see associated link).
Contact Details
- Contact name
- Social services for adults
- Telephone
- 020 8726 6500
- Minicom
- 020 8760 5797
- Referral.team2@croydon.gov.uk
- Address
- Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon CR9 3JS
- Contact name
- Energy Saving Trust
- Freephone
- 0800 512 012
- advice@est-london.org.uk
- Website
- www.energysavingtrust.org.uk\london
- Contact name
- Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
- Telephone
- 020 8683 6633
- enquiries@cen.org.uk
- Address
- Croydon Energy Network
Ambassador House
Brigstock Road
Thornton Heath
Croydon CR7 7JG
- Contact name
- Winter Fuel Payment Helpline
- Telephone
- 08459 151515 local rate
- Typetalk
- 08456 015613
- Website
- www.dwp.gov.uk
- Contact name
- Coldbusters - Energy Grants
- Telephone
- 0800 358 66 68
- Website
- www.cen.org.uk/energy_efficiency/coldbusters.asp
