Keep warm keep well

Stay healthy

• Have a seasonal flu jab and or a ‘pneumo’ jab (pneumococcal).
  
• Wear plenty of layers and warm shoes or boots with non-slip soles.
• Keep your main living room and rooms you use during the day heated (18–21oC (64–70oF), warm your bedroom before you go to bed.
• Make sure you claim all the financial support you can to help with heating bills, see list of useful websites below.
• Keep simple cold, flu and sore throat remedies at home.
  
• If you take prescribed medication order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time and see if your pharmacy will deliver.
• Eat healthily and keep as active as possible.
• Keep basic food items in the cupboard or freezer in case it’s too cold to go shopping.
• Check on elderly or at risk family/neighbours during cold periods and offer help or support.

There are a number of organisations that can help with staying warm, cutting energy bills and giving advice on benefit entitlement.

Heater loan

If your heating has failed, Ealing’s Handyperson Service may be able to lend you a heater or help repair the boiler. To find out more, contact (020) 8825 6070 and chose option one.

To qualify, you must be:

• over 60 or 
• disabled or 
• a single parent in receipt of an income-related benefit living with child(ren) under 16.

Help with installing heating systems

Carillion may be able to help you receive a government grant for installing a heating system, if you are a homeowner or a tenant renting from a private landlord.

Grants are available up to the value of £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended) for those meeting the eligibility criteria.. 
For more information:
Email: enquiry@carillionplc.com
Tel: freephone 0800 316 6011 - open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm
Website: http://www.warmfront.co.uk/

Please note this is not designed as an emergency scheme and installations can take 6-8 months from initial survey.

Grants and benefits checks

The Home Heat Helpline is a free phone line for those struggling with their fuel bills. It offers advice on benefits, grants for free home insulation, reduced tariffs and special payment options your energy supplier provides:

Tel: freephone 0800 33 66 99, open 9am-8pm Mon-Fri and 10am-2pm on Saturdays
Website: http://www.homeheathelpline.org.uk/

The Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre provides free and independent advice on behalf of the council on grants, general energy efficiency, tariff switching, renewable energy, and referrals to certain schemes. Contact them on:
Tel: 0300 123 1234
Website: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

The COSIE project (Cold Weather Support in Ealing)

This is a council scheme that runs until 31 March 2013.

COSIE offers advice, help and support for vulnerable people whose health may be affected by cold homes. The scheme is funded by the Department of Health.

If you feel your health is at risk in cold weather, or you know of someone who needs help, call (020) 8825 6070 (option 1) and ask for COSIE energy assessors.

A COSIE home visit includes:

• advice from a qualified energy advisor on keeping your home warm and saving energy costs
• referral for boiler repairs or service
• some free energy saving measures
• referral for heating or insulation grants depending on eligibility and availability
• referral to London Fire Brigade for smoke alarm
• emergency heater loan where heating broken down
• if requested, referral to Age UK Ealing for welfare benefit checks or fuel debt advice