To be concerned about people who can't afford heating in this weather as well as the homeless

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Feeling slightly sad about anyone who can't afford to put their heating on, or who has no warm clothes or electricity to make a hot drink or meal. Especially older people or families with small children, or ill people.

I moved from a very damp, chilly, crumbling down house a couple of months ago - I was there from February this year and so thank my lucky stars I'm not there during this bitterly cold weather. Not everyone is lucky enough to be somewhere warm and dry.

I can't believe in 2017 this is a problem here in the UK, it's like something from Dickens

That's leaving out the people who are actually outside in this snow and sleet. I've tried googling but can't find out - will their be an extra push from councils to try and get emergency shelter for people at the moment?

If anyone is still on old style income support, esa, and a couple of other benefits for over 6m IIRC, there was a cold weather payment of £25 that you got if it stayed below 0 degrees for 5 days or more. Does this still exist does anyone know? They used to give a £10 'xmas bonus' (whoopee) of you'd been on certain benefits over 6m too. Can't imagine that still exists these days.

roomba cold weather payment still exists - it's seven consequtive days below zero never going above.

The Christmas bonus still exists however, some people have found it has stopped being paid in recent years despite still qualifiying for it. I qualify but spent more than that one year trying to find out why it was no longer paid.

Are people who are addicted to substances allowed in the (emergency) homeless shelters? Having seen some documentaries about it, that would be appear to be the main reason why people sleep on the street (as well as being uncomfortable in shelters due to threat of violence, theft or bullying from the other homeless people in the shelters).

I am only a wee step away from homeless and it really hits me that it could have been/could be me. And I think I'd be sorely tempted to numb the pain with alcohol and/or drugs. It's a hard life to climb out of, especially in the age of "austerity".

The universal fuel allowance for all pensioners is a mockery, but I think I heard that if it was means tested the admin would cost so much, it wouldn't make a difference to the end bill?

I come from Scandinavia where it can get really cold (-20 not unusual), but it's a less bone chilling cold, as the air is dry. Also the homes are better insulated and all windows on all properties are at least double glazed. On the working outside, it is fine if you just dress appropriately with a few layers, hat, gloves and boots, as most of those jobs would be quite active anyway. We used to have to do outside PE in any temp higher than -21. -25 was the cut off point for being forced to go out during recesses/breaks. Going out really is fine if you dress well, but when you are cold indoors, you can't escape it and you don't tend to move around to keep warm, so it's very bad for the vulnerable/disabled.

I agree OP, I've been thinking about this too. Truly shameful in this day and age.

feral

I read an article the other day about Robert Plant challenging a peer as to why he gets £200 fuel allowance when he's a millionaire.

^

Dude will get a free bus pass too.

But a woman with a chronic condition and three kids can't put the heating on.

A few weeks ago my step-children and I were shopping in Camden and it was freezing. We were amazed by how many homeless they were literally shivering on the streets. My step-children got very upset and asked how we could help these people. I was torn up inside because I know realistically there’s not a lot just my family can do to help. The kids suggested foregoing xmas presents so that we could help buy the homeless some food - the suggestion brought tears to my eyes. We went to a local bagel shop and bought 3 big bags of hot bagels and distributed them around the area where we found 50+ homeless. We also got some teas and coffees to warm them up.

My step-daughter doesn’t think this goes far enough (and nor do I) so we’ve signed up to volunteer in a local soup kitchen 1 day a week. I am so unbelievably proud of her but I still begs the question about what else we can do.

There’s a group of ladies that knit near me who buy cheap wool and knit blankets for the homeless. I’m trying my best to master knitting but I am quite hopeless.

I did last winter without turning heating on once, it was awful but survivable. This year I've moved and new flat is so cold I don't know how I'll last. I found out this year I may be able to get some kind of loan or grant towards heating but I don't know much about it, I'm disabled on ESA support group and PIP full award. I have heating on in living room but no where else, it's like walking into a snowdrift when I leave the living room, you can see your breath and my phone gets possessed- I think it's condensation on the screen pressing things I didn't press! I'm sitting dying for a pee but I can't face the cold yet I put on dressing gown and a scarf to go out of the room but it takes a while as I have issues with hands.

However this year I'm bloody grateful to the OAP heating thing, some initiative or something that helped fit heating at my parents'. First time in over 30 years they've had heating! My mum's really happy she can knit this year as the last few it's gotten too cold to do anything.

Yanbu. It's heart breaking. There is a homeless person regularly sat outside a row of shops in town. Been thinking about him a lot past couple of days with the freezing temperatures and snowfall. I've not ventured to the shops so I've no idea if he has managed to find shelter and somewhere warm. But I really hope so. It's not on in this day and age for people to be dying of the cold.

We have had poor heating and water issues for the past year. Made do with lukewarm/cold showers but had had enough by November time. My poor DS (5) has been unwell since end of Oct with cold after cold, infections, wetting himself related to the cold. Flipped on LL who has finally sorted the gas heater and radiators (the small electric heaters are useless and expensive, made no difference in our old draughty terraced), and is onto getting the water fixed. It's so unfair seeing children and elderly especially suffering needlessly.

I just went into the lean- to and it is absolutely freezing as is the kitchen because there is no radiator. At least I can go into other, warmer areas. I can't stop thinking about the homeless tonight-surely they can't be out in this weather.

How could anyone survive the streets at this time of year. It was -8c in my area last night, I think that could kill people who have no shelter.

Yep it sucks, we're one of those families. Heating gets put on when I can afford it. Didn't get the warm home grant. Luckily the toddler runs warm anyway, he's naturally warm blooded so plenty of fleecy pj's and he doesn't notice it. I wear a dressing gown all the time. Better off than those on the streets though. I've said before that I don't understand how the UK can be classed as a developed country when there are so many people in poverty. It's disgusting and insulting

What bugs me is all the smart adverts for entertainment suppliers. The ones where 10p last all night? Not anywhere I’ve lived! I’m on a low income but in new ish property so I can heat one room and heat stays in. But open plan or older places it’s a losing battle.

*engery!

We grew up with no heating. We’d get wrapped up for bed (hats included) and our mattresses would get damp if touching the walls. I’m only mid 30s and it was purely down to poverty. One of my parents ended up with pneumonia and had to be hospitalised for many weeks. People are often surprised that there are homes still like this-it’s a huge problem.

Currently sitting shivering under a blanket as can't afford to put the heating/heater on. I'm disabled but because I live with a housemate I don't qualify for the warm home payment so during the day I have to make do as I can't afford to put extra on the meters so I can use heat during the day, luckily once my housemate comes home the heater goes on for a few hours but until then it's soooo cold.
Hate winter so much 😥

I'm on income support and I've received the warm home discount every year since it was introduced. My electricity company prioritises people on benefits with either a young child or a disabled person in the home. I've not switched suppliers for a few years as the comparison sites tell me it's the best value for my usage anyway. I was on a prepayment meter when I first moved here but getting it changed was one of the first things I did - they allowed me to even though I was on benefits. The charges on prepayment meters are so expensive and it's not practical to be venturing out to get a top up when you have young dc at home.

I've received the £25 cold weather payment in the past although not for the past few years, just because the temperature hasn't dipped low enough in this area. We get the £10 Christmas bonus too and it's always been paid without any issues, though I think it was delayed last year.

We live in a modern flat which might be ugly compared to an older character property, but it does retain the heat well. We have neighbours on all sides, which might be a pain from a noise/privacy point of view but they are more quick to put heating on than I am, which tends to keep my flat at a decent temperature. I haven't put the heating on today and I have been OK wearing a fleece and jogging bottoms.

Why do elderly people freeze to death every year when they get £200 Winter Fuel Allowance??

@Mojomoon thank you so much for that information. Please can you elaborate on how to report to street link

GlitterBabe
That is ridiculous.

You would otherwise qualify for the WHD bug you can't get it in case your housemate benefits from the heat.

Ducking ridiculous.

I was a bit at the travelling family who have popped up by the side of the motorway near me. How on earth do they stay warm in tiny caravans?

£200 a year? Mine costs that a month!

I'm not going to lie, we can't afford heating at the moment. We have storage heaters built in which are so expensive and need to be manually switched on and off if you want heat. So wake up to a freezing cold house, come home to a freezing cold house etc. Switch them on for half an hour in the evenings. We wrap up walk in the house. DS often with long sleeved vests on, long sleeved t, jumper and dressing gown. 2 pair of socks minimum.
It's fine really. If you're prepared for it. Hot soups for tea most nights and lots of hot water bottles :)

How on earth do they stay warm in tiny caravans? Have they got the gas bottles.