The skyrocketing energy prices have left millions worried about the cost of turning on their heating systems as sub-zero temperatures hit Britain this winter.
Sky News host Jonathan Samuels joined a panel to answer viewers’ questions. The experts are: GP Dr Helen Salisbury; personal finance expert Jasmine Birtles; and Helen Barnard from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a charity that conducts and funds research aimed at alleviating poverty in the UK.
What is your advice for vulnerable people who really care about the cost of heating their homes?
Dr. Helen Salisbury: It’s been a really tough time, but it’s important to remember that being in a cold house is actually not good for your health at all.
Therefore, we recommend keeping the temperature in your room around 18 degrees Celsius, especially if you are over 65 years old, especially if you have mobility problems.
Ideally, get up and move about every hour or so, as sitting still can make you more likely to catch a cold.
What are the best settings to use for central heating to heat your home? Is it better to turn on the chronograph and have big bursts at times of the day when you really need it, or is it better to be able to set it on a lower setting but keep it on all day?
Jasmine Birtles: This has come up a lot lately. I checked with the Energy Conservancy and they say it’s better to do it here and there, and when you need it, than to have it all the time.
I wear it for about an hour and after it warms up a bit, I wear overalls, layers, sheepskin boots, sheepskin and wool are the best ways to stay warm.
Another thing I have is a heated blanket. Which means, honestly, it doesn’t matter what’s going on in the rest of the room – you’re warm.
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We know the government is helping and there’s been a lot of headlines lately… but just remind us what help is available?
Helen Barnard: Got help, got cost-of-living packages with one-time allowances, etc
As we move into April, benefits will increase significantly, but there won’t be much more help this winter.
We just did new research and we found out that three million low-income households can’t afford to heat their homes and in fact 2.5 million people can’t afford to eat properly. or heat their home.
So all the things that medical professionals are telling people to do – drink hot drinks, keep the room warm – people simply can’t afford to do those things because the support isn’t enough. to respond to the situation we are in.
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If I can’t afford to turn on the heating, where can I go – especially if there’s a power cut this winter?
Helen Barnard: There are quite a few people in the community who have already started doing “warm spaces” so you should search your local community page. I heard there are actually some bakers, because they always have the oven on, they’re expanding the room.
But there’s actually quite a bit of financial assistance that some people may not get, so a lot of people don’t claim the benefits they could, and that would really help.
It’s worth visiting a site like Spin 2 Us charities where you can check benefits and also has a tool where you can find local grants.
The other thing is to talk to your energy provider – they are legally obligated to help you come up with a solution if you are having trouble paying your bills.
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People are very scared and they don’t want to ask for help. This is the absolute time to ask for help, ask your local charities, local authorities and energy suppliers.
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One thing people are really worried about is a power cut – can you reassure everyone that it won’t happen?
Jasmine Birtles: Well, that’s not going to happen – especially if you’re under contract, direct debit.
Of course, if you’re using a pay-as-you-go meter then obviously if you’re paying it won’t show up.
But if you’re on direct debit, or if you have to sign a contract and you can’t pay, they won’t cut you off. However, those debts will add up.
In fact, a lot of them have money to help. It tends to be a one-time payment, but honestly all the major energy providers have a few hundred pounds to give out under certain circumstances if you qualify, so first Go see your provider first and, as Helen says, try Turn 2 Us.
Also, try your local council. Some local councils – not all – have a discretionary amount of money that they use to help people who are suffering.
And if I could add to what Helen had to say about warmth centers, there’s a website called warm welcome.ukwhere there is a really useful map of the UK, with all the different warm hubs they know of and I think more is being added.
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Dr. Helen, what do your patients tell you? I’m sure you’ve seen people come to you in real condition, because it’s not just your physical health but your mental health as well?
Sure, and people are worried. And I think sometimes it’s the fear that’s bad for their health. They are thinking about taking care of themselves, they are thinking about taking care of their family.
I’d like to add that there’s been a lot of talk here about accessing websites, but many people may not be able to, they may not be mobile web users. their mobile phone, they may not have a cell phone.
I think we also need to think about our neighbors, our friends, older people we know who might need to check in, just to make sure they have the heater on and they’re not sitting there scared of the bill. and do not turn on the heater. .
Being in a very cold environment actually increases your risk of stroke and heart attack and it’s just not worth it, so we need to test people and unfortunately we can get high bills sometimes. much more than we would like, but we need to stay warm.
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People with underlying medical conditions need to be careful in cold weather, right?
Dr. Helen Salisbury: Sure, and partly because you can’t move, but you also get lung diseases like COPD, which makes them more vulnerable and you’re more likely to catch infectious diseases like the flu and possibly COVID-19 as well, so you’re less able to resist everything if you get cold and breathe cold air.
Another rather worrisome thing is people who depend on electricity for assistive devices around the house for medical machines, which I think is a real concern for some given the high prices.
Is it better to have a smart watch? If not, should you read the meter readings regularly?
Jasmine Birtles: There are two schools of thought on this issue.
On the one hand, smartwatches can be useful, especially when some energy companies have apps that work with them. For example, there is a type called Ivy Bud and you can see how much you are using, when you use it. You can also find out which devices are using more than others.
But I hear quite a few people are quite interested in control – a lot of their information is known by who knows.
If you don’t want a smart meter, I think you should read your meter readings, once a month, so you know how much you’re using and if you’re unsure about your bill, or you no If you don’t think the bill and number match, you can complain to your supplier.
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What are the benefits of having a smart meter?
Jasmine Birtles: You can see what you’re using pretty quickly, you can connect it to various apps and gizmos to give you more control and a better idea of what you’re using in real time.
You can look at one of these apps or one of these gizmos and it will tell you you’re using a lot of electricity and you’ll see that you left the iron on or something like that, so that’s it. very useful.
But mostly it’s useful for the energy company.
Energy companies tell me that smart meters let them know when people are using electricity, and that means they can better organize the grid and waste less. So I’d say it’s useful for companies and the country in general, rather than individuals.
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What is being done for the homeless?
Helen Barnard: “Of course we have the local government changing their policy to try to get people in on these very cold nights. But of course we have the problem that we don’t. There’s enough affordable housing, so what we often see is people being put in for a night or two and then finding themselves a sustainable place to stay is very difficult.
I think we need to be a little careful because some of the advice we give about using apps can be pretty cliché to people out there who simply don’t have the money to spend. Turn on the lights, turn on the heater.
I think we need to appreciate the fact that we’ve let our basic social security system fail miserably.
