Winter wellness tips
During the winter months with longer nights and colder temperatures, it’s important that you look after yourself, family and friends.
As well as our Customer Wellbeing Hub, we’ve created a resource full of hints and tips to help keep you warm and safe this winter.
Check out our hints and tips below to keep you warm and safe this winter.
Keeping safe
- Wear appropriate footwear and clothing when outdoors – shoes with good grip help avoid slips and falls on slippery or icy surfaces.
- If you’re unsteady on your feet, avoid going out alone and ask for help. Where possible, let others know where you’re going and what time you’re expected back.
- Take a torch when leaving home in the dark to help see where you’re going.
- Take your mobile phone with you when you leave home and ensure it’s fully charged.
- Ensure the outside of your home is well lit so you can see better in the dark. You can use timers to ensure there’s light when you return home. Illuminating the inside of your property can also help to deter potential intruders as it gives the impression that someone is home.
- Get to know your neighbours – look out for each other and each other's properties, help each other where necessary.
- Consider having flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as advised by a health professional.
- Check the weather and plan ahead – stock up on food and medication if bad weather is forecast, or arrange for someone to help you.
- Try not to sit still for more than one hour, keeping your body moving will keep you warm.
- For those that use a car, put together a winter car kit containing winter essentials such as de-icer, scraper, shovel, warning triangle, high-vis jacket, jump leads, first aid kit, torch and mobile phone charger.
Keeping warm and well and saving energy costs
- Some councils have created warm hubs to provide spaces where people can go to keep warm. Speak to your local council to find out what help and support they can give or visit the Warm Welcome Spaces website. These spaces are heated, free and safe and lots of spaces can also signpost you to other local services that can support you.
- Layer up – wear several layers of thinner clothing as this could keep you warmer than one thicker layer.
- Eat well and drink hot drinks. Food is a vital source of energy, which helps keep the body warm. Also contact your local council if you’re in need of advice about food banks, or also consider the Trussell Trust who have foodbanks across the country.
- Use electric blankets or throws to keep warm. Electric blankets can be cheap to run but regularly check the condition to ensure it’s safe to use and always use it in line with the manufacturer’s guidance.
- Close your curtains once you’ve heated a room to help keep the heat in.
- Try to reduce draughts; you can fit draught excluders around doors.
- Switch off or unplug any appliances you don’t need on. Appliances that have a standby light or are hot to touch when plugged in will be using energy. For example, once your phone, laptop or tablet is fully charged, switch the charger off to save electricity and reduce the risk of an electrical fire.
- Don’t overfill the kettle as filling kettles to the top and re-boiling the same water several times uses lots of energy. Only boil the water you need when you need it.
- When washing up by hand, use a bowl or plug in the sink. Keeping hot water running uses energy and water.
- Try to heat rooms to at least 18 degrees if you can. Heating your home can help prevent condensation, damp and mould in your property. Please also see our website for additional information on this topic.
- Avoid drying clothes directly on your radiators as this can create extra moisture in the air leading to damp and mould. It also reduces the air temperature in your property meaning your heating system needs to work harder to maintain the temperature. Please also refer to our website for additional information.
- Don’t place your sofa or larger furniture near radiators, as this can stop heat reaching the room.
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