British Gas Help the Aged Partnership
Let’s be honest, there are few things more miserable than being cold in your own property. It’s very difficult to lead a full and fulfilling life when the heating is off and the radiators are stone cold.
And for some people, it’s only the one bar on the fire that keeps them alive. The television news often has images of the country’s older citizens smothered in blankets and desperately trying to keep the chill out.
Dick Strawbridge of BBC’s It Ain’t Easy Being Green fame recently said on TV that a room has to be at 14C to be regarded as comfortable, whereas a warm room should be at 19C. Now, 14C might come as something as a surprise, because that it not very comfortable at all for most people. Indeed, occasionally heated rooms in a house which turns the heating off during the day can touch 9C when the outside gets cold, and that’s pretty chilly. Indeed, for pensioners and children, the temperature should be at least 21C, if not 24C, in harsh external conditions.
When your body gets older, your metabolism usually slows and with that your internal heating system is not so efficient as when you were a bouncing teenage. So for many of the elderly, the recent high energy prices on top of a long spate of really cold weather, has thrown a huge spanner into the works.
And this is where The British Gas Help the Aged Partnership comes in, with the aim of helping pensioners beat the threat, ever-growing, of fuel poverty.
They have produced a free pack which has been created to help older people make full use of their incomes through the maximum take-up of available benefits and the exploitation of energy efficiency techniques.
The pack contains three main elements: Check; Claim; and, Insulate.
To get a copy of the winter pack, you can download it from here, or complete the online order form, or telephone 0800 089 0800.
To start with, check that your are receiving all the benefits to which you are entitled and that you are up-to-speed with all the latest energy efficient techniques.
There are a number of organisations out there to help you with this, including The Pension Service on 0800 99 1234, or try www.helptheaged.org.uk, or www.direct.gov.uk.
You can also contact your Citizens Advice Bureau. If you’re worried about debts and what effect it might have on your situation, get hold of the Consumer Credit Counselling Service on 0800 138 111, or the National Debtline on 0808 808 4000.
Secondly, make sure you claim for what you are entitled. No-one is going to judge you, or criticise you, for making use of the all the benefits out there.
Thirdly, carry out the necessary insulation if you feel that your property is lacking some of the main ways of keeping the chill at bay. Just insulating your loft properly can save you in the region of £200 a year. But don’t forget cavity wall insulating, which can also make a big impact.
Also, take time to understand your heating controls, including your thermostat and timer controls, allowing you to warm up the house before you get up for example. Make sure your central hearting system has been serviced and if operating efficiently. And is your hot water tank insulated against heat loss – it should have a nice thick padded jacket to keep it hot.
Are your windows protected against draughts? If you don’t have double glazing, which can be an expensive option, you could always purchase a DIY alternative which includes a plastic film. Think about if your curtains fit properly and if they drop over the room’s radiator, make sure you can tuck them behind, so that the heat is allowed into the room.
Consider where draughts might be getting into the house. Feel under the doors and consider placing extruders around to help keep the chill out and the heat in.
For more tips on heating and grants, call 0800 952 0600 if you live in England for the Warm Front initiative and 0800 316 2815 in Wales, or go on www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
And make sure you keep warm as well as your property. Check windows and doors at night to help keep heat in; make sure you get regular hot drinks and meals; dress properly for the conditions (put away the Bermuda shorts and get the sweaters out); moving about will help increase your circulation and help your warmth; and, just make sure you’re doing your bit by keeping your energy consumption down by switching off unnecessary appliances and also turning the lights off when not needed.
And one final thing: read a book about somewhere hot and exciting, and imagine yourself there. It might just help.
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