Keep well & warm

If you or anyone in your household claims Universal Credit, you could save around £180 a year on broadband by switching to a social tariff. All you need to do is check your provider offers a social tariff, if they don’t you can switch to one that does. 

If you think you are eligible, please visit the ofcom.org.uk website. 

If you get benefits such as Income Support, Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit you could be eligible to receive up to three cost of living payments totalling £900 from the government.  

Find out more on the gov.uk website. 

You could get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

The money is not paid to you – it’s a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between early October 2023 and 31 March 2024.

Find out more on the gov.uk website.

If you were born before 25 September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

If you think you are eligible please visit the gov.uk website for information. 

A Cold Weather payment helps people on low incomes to heat their homes when it is particularly cold.  

You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting:   

• Pension Credit  
• Income Support   
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance   
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance   
• Universal Credit   
• Support for Mortgage Interest   

Find out more on the gov.uk website.  

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops.

You can use your card to buy:

• plain liquid cow’s milk
• fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
• fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
• infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

To find out more and apply, visit the NHS website. This scheme is available all year round.

Our Plus services team have shared some top tips to help you save energy in your home.

• Food banks in Shropshire
• Food banks in Stafford 
• Food banks in South Staffordshire

• Help for households offers free advice, discounts and offers
• Citizens advice offer advice on further grants and benefits available
• You may be eligible for the government’s cost of living payments. If you haven’t received these, please visit the gov.uk website to check if you’re eligible.
• Shropshire Council – Money matters.
• Staffordshire Council – Money matters.
• Shropshire Council – Cost of living help.
• Households in council tax bands A-D are entitled to a £150 rebate from their local authority. Find out more on the gov.uk website.
• Shropshire – Community Resource.
• Shropshire – Marches Energy Agency.

Due to rising fuel bills, many people put off switching their heating on until the weather takes a turn for the worse.

We recommend that you test your heating to ensure any problems with your central heating system or boiler can be identified and fixed before you really need it.

We suggest you:

• Pick a day in September or early October to test your heating is working.
• Switch on the heating on a low setting.
• Test thermostats and radiator controls by turning them up and down.
• Test radiators by checking they are hot from top to bottom.

If you find any problems with your heating system please call us on 0800 048 8955.

Frozen pipes can also be a very common problem during the winter months and can be a serious issue. It does not have to snow or sleet for pipes to freeze, which can happen when temperatures reach 0°C. In these temperatures the water in a pipe may freeze, causing the pipe to expand and potentially burst, resulting in extensive damage to your home.

You can take a few preventative measures, to avoid this happening:

• Before the start of winter, make sure all hoses are disconnected and outside taps are turned
  off.
• Run water through your taps regularly – frequent use of the cold water supply will reduce the chances of water freezing.
• Regularly inspect your plumbing (inside and outside) for signs of freezing. The first sign of a frozen pipe is usually when no water comes out of the tap, but you can also see it. Frozen pipes may have frost on the outside, be covered in ice, or be bulging.

See it – Report it!

If you spot signs of damp and mould in your home or have any questions or concerns, please call our customer services team on 0800 048 8955, send us a private message on Facebook or by completing our online form.

Find out more

• Open all of your taps fully.
• Check for leaking joints or burst pipes.
• Apply a hot water bottle, or thick towels soaked in hot water to pipes to help them defrost. Start at the end of the pipe nearest the taps and work your way along the pipe.
• Use electric fan heaters, only if it is safe to do so, to warm the room where the frozen pipe is.
• Do not use electrical items if there is a chance the pipe has already burst.
  NEVER use a naked flame to defrost pipes.
• Do not try to thaw the pipe too quickly as there may be splits in the pipe which are not immediately noticeable.

Warning!

• Do not rush thawing the pipe by using water that is too hot.
• Always make sure that you are standing at ground level when pouring water onto it – do not climb to a higher level to reach frozen pipes.
• Never disconnect the pipe.
• Always use suitable protection for your hands when handling hot water.

Frozen condensate waste pipes are a common problem in the winter months. The majority of modern boilers have condensate pipes taking water vapour away from your boiler, making it more energy efficient. The condensate pipe is usually plastic, running
from your boiler and discharging internally into a waste pipe or externally into a gully.

In cold weather the condensate pipe (particularly those running externally) can freeze, even if insulated. If this happens then your boiler will automatically shut down and leave you without central heating and hot water.

There are a couple of ways to tell if your condensate pipe is frozen.

• You may hear some bubbling sounds coming from the boiler or the pipe itself.
• There may also be a warning light on your boiler indicating that the pipe is frozen.

If you want to try thawing an external condensate pipe yourself you can:

1. Warm some water in the kettle – do not use boiling water as this could crack the pipe or scald you.
2. Stand away from the wall and gently pour the warm water onto the frozen pipe.
3. Repeat until the pipe has thawed.
4. Once the condensate pipe has fully thawed, the boiler will need to be reset using the reset switch. Once reset, the boiler should fire up and run as normal.
5. If you are unable to reset your boiler please contact our customer services centre to arrange an appointment for an engineer to attend.

If you are still having problems, please call us on 0800 048 8955.

Warning!

• Do not rush thawing the pipe by using water that is too hot.
• Always make sure that you are standing at ground level when pouring water onto it – do not climb to a higher level to reach frozen pipes.
• Never disconnect the pipe.
• Always use suitable protection for your hands when handling hot water.

• Set your heating at the right temperature, ideally between 18°C – 21°C and try to heat
  your bedroom overnight. If this isn’t possible, warm your bedroom at night before you go to bed.
• If you have storage heaters, make sure they are set to fully charge at night, when electricity is cheapest.
• Make sure that your windows and curtains are closed, to keep the warmth in.
• Use an electric blanket or hot water bottle to warm your bed, but NEVER both together. Only leave an electric blanket switched on all night if it has thermostatic controls for safe all-night use. Otherwise switch it off and disconnect it before you get into bed. Electric blankets should only be used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and fire service safety advice: www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/electric-blankets.

ReConnected is a new service for people aged 55+ providing advice about the things that matter most to you, as well as activities and social events in your community.

It’s completely free for residents of Stafford Borough and South Staffordshire.

Find out more

ReConnected is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund

Cold weather can make some health problems worse, especially for those who are more vulnerable. Remember to check on your neighbours to make sure they are well and warm. Visit the NHS website for guidance.

NHS website

Many people experience feelings of loneliness and isolation at this time of year. For mental health information and support, visit the NHS website.

NHS website

You can also visit our useful contacts page for signposts to mental health support and other help available.

Useful contacts page

While it can often be hard to identify abuse or neglect, if you have any concerns, please speak up. Find out how to contact your local safeguarding team on our safeguarding page. 

Safeguarding page