Tips For Keeping Warm And Well During The Cold Weather

Top tips on staying healthy and warm during the cold weather:

Keep active in your home by moving around at least once an hour
Eat well and drink plenty of fluids - eat a healthy and varied diet and drink plenty of water and hot drinks to keep energy levels up and to stay warm, with at least one hot meal a day
Wear the right clothing - dress for the weather, both inside and outside the house. Multiple thin layers (such as a vest, shirt, and jumper) retain body heat more effectively than one thick layer (such as a woolly jumper). Wear slippers or shoes in the house to keep feet warm.
Travel in icy weather - icy pavements and roads can be very slippery. Take extra care if you go out and wear boots or shoes with good grip on the soles, and remember to wear a scarf, gloves and a hat to prevent heat loss. The Met Office advises putting grit or cat litter on paths and driveways to lessen the risk of slipping. Bear in mind that black ice on pavements or roads might not be clearly visible, and that compacted snow may turn to ice and become slippery.
Heat your home effectively and safely - set your home or at least one room at around 21o C (70o F), setting heating timers to come on before you get up and before you go to bed if necessary, remembering to close curtains, doors and block draughts to keep rooms warm. Bedrooms should be above 18o C (65o F) and you can use a hot water bottle or electronic blanket in bed, but not both (heating appliances should be regularly checked and used with adequate ventilation to avoid the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning; electric blankets should be checked regularly and replaced at least every 10 years).
Keep up to date with the weather forecasts either by television, radio, internet or newspapers – or alternatively call 0900 624 3300 for a recorded forecast
Don’t be afraid to ask for help either by contacting friends, relatives, neighbours, your GP, Social Worker, District Nurse, or Housing Officer and remember, in a life threatening situation you should always dial 999 immediately.

For further information:

Cold homes have a significant impact on people's health. One of the best ways of keeping yourself well during winter is to stay warm.

Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes,pneumonia and depression.

The chances of these problems are higher if you're vulnerable to cold-related illnesses because of one or more of the following:

you're over 65
you're on a low income (so can't afford heating)
you have a long-term health condition, such as heart, lung or kidney disease
you are disabled

How to fight flu

Flu is a highly infectious illness that can spread rapidly. You may be eligible for a free flu jab if you're at risk of complications from flu.

Find out if you can get the flu jab for free on the NHS.

Fuel poverty facts

On average, there are around 25,000 excess winter deaths each year in England. There is strong evidence that some of these winter deaths are indeed 'extra' and are related to cold temperatures as well as infectious diseases such as flu.

In 2013 there were the UK, in the winter of 2012-13 there were 35 million households in England in fuel poverty. This is when a household is living below the poverty line and has higher than average energy bills.

Keep your home warm

If you have reduced mobility, are 65 or over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease, you should heat your home to at least 18C. It's a good idea to keep your bedroom at this temperature all night if you can. During the day you may prefer your living room to be slightly warmer. Make sure you wear enough clothes to stay warm.
If you're under 65 and healthy and active, you can safely have your house cooler than 18C, if you're comfortable.
You can also use a hot water bottle or electric blanket (but not both at the same time) to keep warm while you're in bed.

Eat well in winter

Food is a vital source of energy, which helps keep your body warm. Try to make sure that you have hot meals and drinks regularly throughout the day and keep active in the home if you can.

Stay active

We all know that exercise is good for your overall health - and it can keep you warm in winter. If you can stay active, even moderate exercise can bring health benefits. If possible, try not to sit still for more than an hour or so. Remember to speak to your GP before starting any exercise plan.

Wear warm clothes

Wrap up warm, inside and out. Wear lots of thin layers - clothes made from cotton, wool or fleecy fibres are particularly good and help to maintain body heat. Wear shoes with a good grip to prevent slips and falls when walking outside. If possible, stay inside during a cold period if you have heart or respiratory problems.

Help your neighbours in winter

Check on older neighbours or relatives to make sure they're safe and well. Make sure they're warm enough, especially at night, and have stocks of food and medicines so they don't need to go out during very cold weather.

If you're worried about a relative or an elderly neighbour, contact your local council or ring the Age UK helpline on 0800 00 99 66.

Read more tips on how to cope in very cold weather.

Cold weather benefits

You may also be able to claim financial and practical help with heating your home. Grants available include the Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payment.

Winter Fuel Payment

A Winter Fuel Payment of between £100 and £300 tax-free is available to help you pay your heating bills if you were born on or before January 5 1953.

Find out more about the Winter Fuel Payment.

Cold Weather Payment

Cold Weather Payment may be available to you if you receive certain benefits. Payments are made when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of 0C or below over seven consecutive days.

You'll get a payment of £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between November 1 2015 and March 31 2016.

Find out more about the Cold Weather Payment.

How to reduce your energy bills

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has advice on how to reduce bills and make your home more energy efficient. They can also advise on grants and schemes available around the UK.

Find out more online from the EST website or call 0300 123 1234 (9am-8pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday).

For more information on cold weather benefits and other help available, read the Financial help to heat your home section in the Keep warm, keep well leaflet (PDF, 329kb).

Read these top tips for keeping warm and well (PDF, 1.15MB).

Preparing for winter

Cold weather can be a worry for those of us in later life. As we get older, our bodies respond differently and this can leave us more vulnerable in cold weather.

But with a little preparation, and by following some simple suggestions, we can help ourselves to stay healthy, safe and as comfortable as possible in winter. More suggestions can be found in our Winter Wrapped Up guide.

Keeping warm both inside and outside your home can help reduce your risk of serious health problems that are more common in the colder months, such as chest infections, heart attacks and strokes.

Getting ready for the cold weather – which can start as early as October – means that you’re more likely to keep warm and well.

Download the guide

Here are some things you can do to stay safe and ward off the winter chills:

Get your heating system serviced every year by a qualified engineer to ensure it's running safely and efficiently.
Never block air vents and if you have wood-burning, coal or gas heaters make sure there’s adequate ventilation.
If water pipes freeze they can burst. Make sure you know where the main stopcock is and check that it's easy to turn so you can turn off the water if you need to.
Have your electric blanket serviced at least every three years.
Make sure your smoke alarm is working. You can ask your local fire service to check your home for fire safety. It’s free and you may be eligible to get free smoke alarms fitted.
Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm in each room that has a gas appliance.
Make sure you claim all the financial support you can to help with heating bills.
Dress in plenty of layers and make sure you have warm shoes or boots with non-slip soles.
Keep a mixture of salt and sand handy to put on steps or paths in icy weather.
Consider fitting a grab rail if you have steps at your front or back door.
Keep simple cold, flu and sore throat remedies in the house.
Follow up your GP’s invitation to have a flu jab.
Order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time, particularly if bad weather is forecast.
Ask your local pharmacy if they offer a prescription pick-up and delivery service.
Keep basic food items in the cupboard or freezer in case it’s too cold to go shopping. You could also do your food shopping online and get it delivered to your door.
Eat healthily and keep as active as possible.
Ask your family, neighbours or friends if they could call or visit you more often.
Keep a battery-operated radio, torch and spare batteries handy in case there’s a power cut. Keep your mobile phone, laptop or tablet fully charged so you can use the battery power if there’s no electricity.
Keep a list of emergency numbers, such as your utility companies, by your phone.