Safe, Warm and Well: Top Tips for Winter

As winter rapidly approaches, you will probably be getting your house prepared for the chilly weather. But whilst you layer up and stock up on hot water bottles, how often do you think about your elderly neighbours and relatives?

With today’s hectic lifestyles, it can be difficult to keep up to date with all of our friends and family and those who live further away can be easily overlooked. But while we are more able to afford to crank up the heating, those on limited funds are not so fortunate.

With a third of the fuel poverty households in the UK consisting of single people over the age of 60, how can you ensure your loved ones are cared for?

In our live webTV show, Arlene Phillips and Ian Scott from WRVS, a charity which helps elderly people, offer their advice and tips on how you can help those most at risk this winter. From hints on how to keep a house warm whilst keeping the fuel bill down, to support you can receive from initiatives like EDF Energy’s Safe, Warm and Well programme, they are here to answer all of your questions.

Arlene Phillips and Ian Scott join us live online at www.studiotalk.tv on Friday 12th November 2010 at 4pm to discuss how you can make sure you and your family stay Safe, Warm and Well this winter.

For more information visit www.edfenergy.com/safewarmandwell

H: Lis Speight, host
A: Arlene Philips, ambassador from EDF Energy Safe, Warm & Well Program
B: Ian Scott, WRVS

H: It’s that time of year again when temperatures outside are dropping and the heating inside the house is cranked up to the max. Today we’ll be talking about how to ensure your elderly friends and relatives are kept safe, well and warm this winter

Titles

H: Hello and welcome to another edition of the Homes & Garden show, I’m Lis Speight. With the summer long gone and Jack Frost knocking in our doors we’ll all be thinking about turning up the heating? But of course for some people fuel bills are a big worry. Well joining me today to discuss this is Arlene Philips, ambassador from EDF Energy safe, warm and well program. Welcome Arlene, really nice to see you today

A: Thank you and you

H: And also Ian Scott from the charity WRVS, welcome Ian

B: Thank you very much

H: Thanks for coming in for us. Coming up on today’s show, we look at the problems many people face when the cold weather comes. What practical steps we can take to keep safe, warm and well this winter, and of course all your questions will be answered live. And we are streaming live today, so if you’ve got any comments, tips or questions for Arlene and Ian do get them into us, all you have to do is type your name and your question in the box that’s on the screen, press submit, it’ll come through to us here in the studio and we’ll try to get through as many as we can during the course of the show. And if you’re Tweeting use the # tag studiotalk. Ok we’ve had some very harsh winters recently haven’t we, Arlene what sort of effect does this have, particularly on elderly people when the cold weather comes?

A: It has a devastating effect when cold weather comes, because you know getting older is feeling colder

H: Right

A: A lot of old people just can’t get warmth into their body and they need to find ways of how to a) save energy, save on their fuel bills, how to get help, how to insulate and I think it’s very important, we are discovering that so few people are constantly in touch with elderly relatives, could be grandparents, great grandparents and they need to keep in touch whether it’s a phone call, an email – a visit. We as a nation need to really take care of our old and find out if they need help keeping warm this winter

H: Because it particularly effects the elderly doesn’t it, Ian you’re from the WRVS tell us a little bit about how the charity’s teamed up with EDF energy and what you’re seeing at the sharp end?

B: Well WRVS is committed to make Britain a great place to grow old, and what we’re doing in conjunction with EDF is going throughout the country and spreading the word using the power of volunteering, we have 45,000 volunteers that are out there –

H: Wow

B: Offering practical help to people each day, and part of my task is to go out there, speak to the volunteers and staff, pass the information onto them, they in turn go and visit our service users and give them the information ,and quite often they’re saying that there’s been a great deal of interest in there. People weren’t actually aware that they are entitled to certain grants from energy companies. A lady called Audrey Jaywick, I went to speak to her, following a phone call she managed to save £380 a year on her fuel bills

H: Wow that’s amazing, so there is help out there and we’ll be talking about that a little bit later in the show, the top tips as to what you can do to stay warm in your home, but let’s talk a little bit more about the effects of the cold on the elderly, because it can be a killer, can’t it Arlene?

A: Yes. There are horrendous statistics which Ian will tell us about later of how many people have died through cold, and we have to be aware that people don’t actually think a hot water bottle, hot soup, insulating the home, making sure that the curtains are down behind the radiator

H: Yes

A: And so that we are constantly aware of not letting heat escape

H: Yes

A: Even keyholes sometimes are huge, if you’ve got a big key, and the wind will whistle through, and I think it’s very important to discover ways of helping people, a) of how to get help, you know how to go and find out if the energy company has ways that you can reduce your bills, and I think everyone has to take a social responsibility to discover what help is needed. You know one of my things I always say to people is movement – put a bit of music on

H: Yes

A: And even if you’re chair bound, it doesn’t matter if you clap your hands, shake them, tap your thighs. If you’re dancing around the living room, there are ways to keep –

H: Won’t be as good as you obviously Arlene but –

A: You know what you can just move forward and back

H: Yes

A: You can skip round the living room; it’s a way of keeping warm

H: Yes

A: It’s an exciting and fun way of keeping warm, helps you feel better in your mind too

H: Yes

B: But as Arlene said there’s 40,000 souls lost their lives last year in the winter

H: Wow

B: Due to the cold

H: That’s incredible isn’t it?

B: Absolutely

H: Almost the number of volunteers you’ve got

B: That’s right

H: That is scary

B: It really is, and 92% of those people are over 65 which is obviously the services that we provided people are – tend to be for those that are over 60 at WRVS

H: Yes. I suppose sort of respiratory problems go hand-in-hand with being cold, don’t they? What are the warning signs that you look out for Ian, when you go into someone’s house that maybe they’re not coping so well with keeping warm?

B: Well what we tend to do is teach our volunteers to look out for little things like mould on the wall

H: Right

B: Maybe condensation on the insides of the windows, or even ice in the worst case scenario, or people may be sitting there looking like the Michelin man with lots of different layers on. You walk in; you instantly feel it’s cold

H: Yes

B: But because when you get older your skin isn’t as sensitive, you don’t actually realise that it’s that cold

H: Ok but it’s not just the elderly, it’s young people as well that are effected, young families

A: It’s anyone who is on a poverty line, you know

H: Right

A: You know and I’m involved with EDF energy Safe, Warm and Well campaign, because it’s trying to get the word out, help is available

H: Yes

A: For those that need it

H: Ok and we’ve been talking to one such young man called James and he’s been really struggling to keep his house warm, and it does have a huge effect on your life. This is James’s story

Video Footage

Vicky Letch: So James it’s pretty cold out here, and I suppose there’s one time in your life when you know all about feeling the draft – tell me your story?

James: Well I was incapacity benefit, I had come out of university and unfortunately had become ill, and initially everything was fine and I was just about able to pay my bills, but very soon everything started to get out of control, in particular my utility bills. It got to the stage where I was afraid to turn on the heating, just because I didn’t know how I’d pay for it

Vicky: And was it something you thought you would just have to live with? Did you just think that’s the way it is?

James: Yes I thought you hear these stories of old people wearing you know, hundreds and hundreds of layers

Vicky: Yes

James: And I thought that was, you know that was my only choice

Vicky: So how did the sunshine come into your living room?

James: I happened to speak to an EDF advisor who told me you know, that there were things that I could do. The first thing that EDF did was – were to change the tariff that I was on. This made huge savings instantly, and then also sort of some tips and hints helped me, I would say decreased my energy bills by 50%. They –

Vicky: Wow

James: They also helped me to sort out a repayment plan at a rate that I could afford. And now luckily I’m clear of debt

Vicky: And warm!

James: Yes

Vicky: Most importantly. So that must have been a huge relief

James: It was and obviously because I was ill as well the extra sort of worry did me no good at all

Vicky: Yes

James: So getting that sorted was fantastic

Vicky: So for other people who are perhaps in your situation, what advice do you give them?

James: Do your research, there’s a lot of information out there on the internet, call your energy provider, talk to them about tariffs, and just keep looking. There’s a lot of advice out there for people who find themselves in this situation

H: So that’s James’s story, and of course young families, anyone who’s at home during the day – well and at night really, but during the day particularly because you’ve then got the whole day to heat the house, is going to be suffering and worrying about how to pay the bills. What can they do about it?

A: Well obviously every energy company has a website or a phone number you can call. I mean EDF Energy have – have a website and a phone number when you pick up that phone, there’s a person talking to you

H: Yes

A: Not a dial 6, go 7, go 9 you know – a person talks to you and they can give you the advice that you need, the help that you need to help you understand that there are ways of getting cheaper fuel, reducing your bills, grants for insulation, and I think that I believe this will happen with different energy companies too – advice, advice, advice. Pick up the phone, get advice

H: What would the WRVS advise people to do?

B: Well WRVS.org.uk – there’s plenty of hints and tips on there that you can – and as Arlene just said, there are grants available to people. If you’re 70 years old or older, you live in your own property or you rent a property you’re entitled to free insulation. Now insulating your house, including double glazing, walls and the roof space will save you a massive 60% on your heat bills

H: Wow that’s amazing isn’t it?

B: It is

H: There’s the winter fuel payment as well, has that been affected recently by the government or I think they’re still getting that aren’t they?

A: I think winter fuel is still around, and different companies, you know freezing their prices. I think that there is, you know, help is available, grants are available. I don’t think people even realise this, and if the elderly don’t realise it, find out for them

H: Yes, yes

A: You know you can get on a computer, we’re all getting computer savvy – find out and discover ways that you can help people. It could be a neighbour, you know, that needs help that doesn’t have a family

H: Yes exactly, that’s – quite often there’s someone living on your street and you don’t necessarily see the elderly people because they don’t go out do they so much when it’s cold

A: No and if they’re your family, get in touch, keep in touch

H: Exactly, make sure that they’re – but there are lots of very cheap tips to keeping your house warm as well, things that you just sort of might not even think about, things like putting tin foil behind your radiators and things like that. It – can you think of anything else, sort of thick curtains and that kind of thing?

B: Well absolutely and plenty of layers

H: Yes

B: Look like the Michelin man if you have to, but get plenty of layers on there

H: Yes

B: When you – during the day have your curtains open and then get the power of the sun to heat your room

H: Right

B: When it comes to dusk, close your curtains as I said, always tuck your curtains behind the radiator and let the radiator radiate heat into the room

H: Yes

B: Rather than heating the back of your curtains. Keep your freezer full

H: Oh right

B: If you’ve got a half empty freezer it uses twice as much energy

H: ooh that’s a good tip isn’t it?

A: Yes

B: So put bottles of water in there and freeze it down, and then when you do get the bargains from various sources then take the water out and fill the freezer with the food

H: That is the tip of the day I think, that’s a really good one isn’t it?

A: It really is

H: Small things like having a hot drink. I know that if I’m at home and I’m too stingy to put the heating on if I’m in on my own, I have a cup of coffee and it’s amazing what a difference it makes

A: Absolutely and you know instant soup can work wonders, you know whether it’s Japanese miso soup

H: Yes

A: An instant soup doesn’t take much, hot water – it can make you feel good throughout. I think that’s important, and another important thing that people don’t realise is switch the TVs off, switch the radios off – don’t leave them on standby

H: Right

A: It’s costing you money and you don’t need it, you’re sleeping

H: Yes ok. And also going out, I think – I mean it’s difficult when you’re elderly, if you’re in your 80s you don’t want to be going out when it’s icy and what have you, but you could go to the library or go to a friend’s house couldn’t you, there’s lots of things on aren’t there?

B: Oh absolutely. We have Darby and Joan clubs and lunch clubs all over the country where people gather together to keep warm and to pass on information, and also to keep an eye on each other because if somebody doesn’t turn up for that lunch club

H: Right

B: One of our volunteers is immediately around there to say what’s going on? Are you ok?

H: So lots of really, really good tips there

A: And being active, my partner’s mother’s 82 and she’s a volunteer, she’s always discovering what “old people”

H: Yes

A: In the neighbourhood need her help, do they need visits, do they – she drives, do they need for her to get shopping

H: Yes

A: You know if you’re active, find out – you can find out from obviously places that Ian is part of where you can actually do your bit

H: There’s lots on, there’s certainly lots going on. There’s no excuse for sitting in on your own and being cold. Ok well that’s all our tips and advice, and coming up next we’ll have all of your questions so stay with us

Break

H: Welcome back, today we’re talking about how to keep safe, warm and well in your home with a no doubt hard winter heading our way. We’ve Arlene Philips with us and also Ian Collins from - Ian Cross sorry from the WRVS. Right let’s take some of your questions, we’ve had quite a few in. One in from Sylvia, she says “nothing beats keeping active and wearing plenty of layers in the winter” which is exactly what you said Arlene isn’t it?

A: Absolutely, it’s really important and actually I don’t think people realise, I mean I know I sort of smile about it, you know, put on Saturday Night Fever, you know just do a little movement, it lifts your spirit, it warms your body. I think it’s one of the most important tips that people can take

H: Yes and it keeps you young obviously, living proof we have here! David has sent in a question. He says “I live in a very large house with elderly relatives. I find that they are turning on central heating when they’re alone in the house which I think is very wasteful. Do you have any tips to avoid this?” That’s a difficult one isn’t it? Any tips for David? Maybe just heat one room or something?

B: Absolutely, just keep one room that you’re going to be staying in all day at the right temperature

H: Yes

B: And then just before you’re going to bed and night, go in and turn the temperature up in the bedroom. Use a hot water bottle or an electric blanket to warm the bed. Never use the two together for obvious reasons

H: No you don’t want to boil do you

B: No you don’t want to be electrocuted

H: Oh yes of course you don’t want to be electrocuted

A: Danger

H: Ok so maybe that’s the answer then just encourage them to maybe heat one room and keep the doors closed, put on some extra layers. But it’s a bit of a touchy subject because if you’re at home all day on your own, you don’t want to be cold do you; you don’t want to get ill do you?

A: No they feel it

H: Yes

A: They feel it through their bodies in the way that, you know you can’t understand. When you’re very active you don’t realise how cold people who are inactive can become

H: Yes. It is a killer as you say, so there is a lesson there I think. Ok another question in from Beth. She says “my gran lives over 50 miles away so it’s hard to get to see her. How can I encourage her to shop around and get a good deal on her energy so that she can keep warm this winter?” What’s the tip for Beth’s granny?

A: Well there are deals around, and if granny can’t master the computer or get on the phone then maybe you could do it for her Beth?

H: Yes

A: Find out – though there is help everywhere

H: Ok. We’ve just about run out of time but last top tip from both of you? Arlene I would say yours would be keep moving?

A: It’s keep moving, of course it is, keep dancing

H: And Ian what do you think is a crucial thing?

B: I’d say go to WRVS.org.uk and look at all the hints and tips we’ve put on there for you

H: Okey doke, that’s lovely. Well Ian and Arlene thanks for coming in; it’s been really interesting talking to you. And please do stay safe, warm and well this winter. For more information you can go to the website which is edfenergy.com/safewarmandwell. We’ll see you next time. Bye bye