Your cold weather guide to services in Surrey

Transcription

1 Surrey Healthy Homes is a countywide partnership working with Surrey County Council, Action Surrey, local authorities, Surrey Primary Care Trust, GP s, and community and voluntary groups. The aim is to assist the most vulnerable groups to access extra help and resources to keep them warm and well during the cold winter months. Your cold weather guide to services in Surrey It s important that we are all prepared for bad weather or emergencies during the winter months. This booklet tells you where you can get details of local support and the services available. Leaflet produced by Action Surrey Telephone: Website: The Department of Health has funded this publication. Leaflet created in February 2012 All services are subject to availability Other partners: CHEER HomeStart Elmbridge Transition Town Farnham working in partnership with your local authority

2 Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health problems like pneumonia. We have provided you with a checklist of things you can do to make sure your house is warm. Keep warm and save money Consider improving the energy efficiency of your home, including better insulation. Check whether you are entitled to grants and subsidies for home heating and insulation. Shut and draught proof outside doors: see page for local help. Draw your curtains at dusk to help keep the heat generated inside your rooms. Keep your home at recommended indoor temperatures: 21 C in the main room, 18 C for other non occupied rooms. Heating systems Check that home heating, radiators, boilers and electric heaters are serviced annually to reduce the risk of breakdowns during the cold weather: see pages and for local help. If your boiler breaks down emergency heaters may be available: see pages and Ensure that you have a room thermometer and carbon monoxide detector. Contact your local authority: see pages and Set the timer on your heating to come on before you get up and switch off when you go to bed. Lagging water pipes Follow expert advice on protecting and insulating your water pipes against freezing. Safety Never use an electric blanket and hot water bottle together. Ensure you use the electric blanket correctly and get it tested every three years by an expert: see page Do not use a gas cooker or oven to heat your home as this is inefficient and there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Housing association tenants If you are a housing association tenant please contact your housing association concerning any upgrades to your home and to get further advice on energy efficiency and benefits. Emergency Heating available in Spelthorne and Runnymede Emergency keep warm kits containing emergency heaters, carbon monoxide monitors, window insulation film, boiler repairs, blankets (for lap and bed use). Spelthorne Borough Council Telephone: Runnymede Care and Repair Telephone: /5

3 Home Improvement Agencies and Handyperson schemes These local schemes provide various services including advice on how to pay for work, access to loans and grants in your area, organising emergency boiler repairs, loft clearance, winter warm packs, electric heaters, gas inspections and minor repairs. Each employ trusted handypersons who are vetted by the local council and carry out work for them on a regular basis. Low interest loans to finance improvements The Home Trust Loan is a low cost, home improvement service and lending scheme for homeowners whose properties need repairs or maintenance, but who do not have the funds available to carry out the work. Funds can be used for boiler replacements, changing windows or doors, solid wall insulation or flat roof insulation. Age UK Runnymede and Spelthorne Telephone: ageukrunnymedeandspelthorne@spelthorne.gov.uk Elmbridge Telephone: careandrepair@elmbridge.gov.uk Epsom and Ewell Telephone: hia@epsom-ewell.gov.uk Guildford and Waverley Telephone: careandrepair@guildford.gov.uk Reigate and Banstead, Mole Valley Telephone: info@ihscic.org.uk Check to see what is available in your area using the contact numbers below. Spelthorne Telephone: customerservices@spelthorne.gov.uk Surrey Heath Telephone: camberleycare@msn.com Tandridge Telephone: customerservices@tandridge.gov.uk Woking Telephone: homelink@woking.gov.uk Action Surrey A local advice service supporting councils and residents across Surrey. It can provide a Keep Warm Package delivered through a trusted installer network whilst also saving you money on your energy bills. Free loft insulation* worth 250, can save you per year Free cavity wall insulation* worth 250, can save you 135 per year 100 towards a loft clearance* Many lofts can be cleared and insulated for free Free home energy assessment This is available to householders across Surrey, delivered by fully trained, Criminal Record Bureau checked local volunteers. Telephone: info@actionsurrey.org Website: The Home Trust Loan This scheme is supported by some local authorities in Surrey. Telephone: Website: Surrey Heath Borough Council Flexible low interest home loan scheme for a range of energy conserving measures Telephone: Tandridge District Council Loan scheme for boiler replacement and small essential repairs. Telephone: * subject to availability, survey and criteria

4 Stay warm When it s cold outside wear lots of thin layers, which work better than one thick layer. Watch out for symptoms of hypothermia which can vary depending on whether it is mild, moderate or severe. Babies with hypothermia may look healthy but their skin will feel cold. They may also be limp, unusually quiet and refuse to feed. If you suspect that someone has severe hypothermia, dial 999 immediately to request an ambulance. Severe hypothermia is life threatening. Stock up Make sure you have plenty of basic medicines such as paracetamol, flu and diarrhoea remedies and also food. Emergency supplies of food may be available locally and the Meals on Wheels service may be available from your local authority: see page Stay healthy Make sure that you and your family members have received all appropriate vaccinations (influenza, pneumococcal, meningitis), particularly if you or they are in an at-risk group. Bugs such as norovirus (the winter vomiting bug) can be a problem at this time of year. You can help to stop infection spreading by using alcohol rub to clean your hands. In non emergency situations, use your local Pharmacist for advice and medication, your GP or NHS Walk-in Centre or Minor Injuries Unit. When your surgery is closed you can ring Thamesdoc to get advice from a clinician: see page In bad weather there may be transport help to get you to your GP: see page Eat well Emergencies Telephone: 999 Surrey County Council Adult Social Care Helpline Website: uk Emergency Duty Team Telephone: Thamesdoc Telephone: Emergency Food Supplies Age UK Runnymede and Spelthorne Telephone Surrey Meals on Wheels Eating regular meals will help keep your energy levels up during winter. Have plenty of hot food and drinks, and plan your meals and keep your diet as varied as possible. Aim to include your daily five portions of fruit and vegetables. Remember that tinned and frozen fruit and vegetables count towards this.

5 If you are struggling to pay your energy bills; finding it difficult to get out and about or even to cook a meal, there are services in your area which may help. Income Maximisation/Benefits Advice Your local authority or Surrey County Council may also offer benefits advice and loans or grants may also be available from local agencies. Cold Weather Payments may be available to you if you receive certain benefits or have a child who is disabled or under the age of five. The 14 Citizen Advice Bureaux across Surrey can offer free, confidential advice on fuel poverty and income maximisation, including benefits advice, access to charitable help and fuel debt advice. Fuel debt advice Guildford Citizen s Advice Bureau can assist with trust applications for fuel debt right across Surrey and can also assist clients to find better tariffs and suppliers: see page Meals on wheels If you are unable to shop, cook or heat a frozen meal, some Surrey district and borough councils deliver hot ready-made meals to your door, either on a permanent basis or for a short period of time: see page Transport Assistance The Dial-A-Ride minibus service is for all residents in the district with mobility problems, unable to use public transport but still want independence. Contact your local authority: see page or Surrey County Council: see page Elmbridge Borough Council runs a GP Taxi Voucher scheme where a limited number of voucher books are available to older people in the area to take them to and from their GP surgery: see page Surrey Telecare Services These provide the ability to call for help at the touch of a button, providing reassurance, a feeling of security and freedom from the worry of being isolated: see page Home Visiting and Equipment Assistance If you need wheelchairs, crutches and other items of medical equipment, British Red Cross offers short-term medical equipment loans across Surrey: see page Age UK Telephone: British Red Cross Telephone: Website: Citizen Advice Bureau Telephone: Website: Guildford Citizen s Advice Bureau Telephone: edfproject@guildfordcab.org.uk Meals on wheels Surrey Telecare (Adult Social Care Helpline) Website: Elmbridge Borough Council GP Taxi Scheme Telephone: commtransport@elmbridge.gov.uk Surrey Dial-a-Ride Telephone:

6 Emergency Services Weather Information Local Authorities Emergency Services Telephone: 999 Police non emergency Telephone: 101 Health and Social Care NHS Direct Confidential health advice 24 hours a day. Telephone: Website: SurreyAlert Sharing and providing information to Surrey in an Emergency Website: Surrey County Council Adult Social Care Helpline Weather warnings The Met Office provide the weather forecasts for broadcasts on radio and TV, so listen in to these bulletins regularly to keep up to date with the weather. Severe weather warnings are also issued on the Met Office website. Telephone: Website: Local Cold Weather/Emergency Information Surrey County Council, Surrey NHS, fire, ambulance, police, and local District and Borough councils will all have emergency plans in place. Contact them for further information. Grants Warm Front This scheme offers grants for heating and insulation improvements up to 3,500 (or up to 6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended). This is for people who own their own home or privately rent, or are in receipt of certain benefits. Elmbridge Borough Council Telephone: contactus@elmbridge.gov.uk Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Telephone: contactus@epsom-ewell.gov.uk Guildford Borough Council Telephone: customerservices@guildford.gov.uk Mole Valley District Council Telephone: info@molevalley.gov.uk Reigate & Banstead Borough Council Telephone: contact@reigate-banstead.gov.uk Runnymede Borough Council Telephone general.enquiries@runnymede.gov.uk Spelthorne Borough Council Telephone: customer.services@spelthorne.gov.uk Surrey Heath Borough Council Telephone: enquiries@surreyheath.gov.uk Tandridge District Council Telephone: customerservices@tandridge.gov.uk Waverley Borough Council Telephone: enquiries@waverley.gov.uk Woking Borough Council Telephone: customers@woking.gov.uk Telephone: Website: