Keep Warm and Well 2021-22 - Barnsley Council

Keep Warm and Well
                         2021-22

Keep warm, stay well

  Welcome to Barnsley’s guide to keeping warm and well for
  winter 2021-22. The cold weather can be seriously bad for
  your health, especially if you’re under five, over 65 or have
  a long-term health condition. The good news is there are
  lots of things you can do. This leaflet is full of top tips and
  information on ways to make sure you, your friends and
  family can cope with cold weather this winter.

  • Heat your home to at least 18 degrees.
  • Look out for others. Ask how they are keeping warm
    during cold weather.
  • Stay as active as you can. Any exercise will
    benefit your physical and mental health.
  • Check if you’re eligible for help to keep
    your home warm.

For more info visit
www.barnsley.gov.uk/ready-for-winter
or call 01226 773366.

Warm homes support

Do you struggle to pay your energy bills?
Are you worried about how you are going to keep your home
warm this winter? Would you like to know if there are ways to
make your energy bills more affordable? If you answer yes
to any of these questions, then please get in touch by calling
01226 773366 or emailing warmhomes@barnsley.gov.uk.
We’ll carry out a telephone assessment to help you with:
• Price comparison
• Energy discount
• Issues with energy suppliers including billing and debt
• Improving homes with energy savings measures
• Funding or grants for boilers and insulation
For more information on ways to keep warm and save money on
your energy bills this winter visit barnsley.gov.uk/warmhomes.

Did you know?

• If you are eligible for Warm Home Discount you could get
  £140 towards your energy bills over the winter period.
• If you haven’t changed your energy supplier recently you
  could be paying over £100 per year more than you need to.
• Paying your energy bills by monthly direct debit can save you
  up to £85 each year.
• Cold weather payments are made automatically if you are eligible.
If you need any support around keeping your home warm,
please call the Warm Homes Team on 01226 773366 or email
warmhomes@barnsley.gov.uk.

Falls prevention

Falls for over 65’s should be taken very seriously
because of the significant impact they can have on your health.
You can reduce your risk by taking care of your health, making
simple changes to your home and exercising to improve strength
and balance. Find out more at barnsley.gov.uk/fall-proof or
call Age UK Barnsley on 01226 776825.
• Regular ear checks help to prevent falls due to dizzy spells
  and poor balance. Your GP can refer you to a specialist.
• If you’re taking medication, make sure you have a yearly
  review.
• Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Watch out for clutter, trailing wires, rugs, uneven floors, spills
  and slippery floors.
• Properly fitted shoes and slippers can help reduce slips
  and trips.
• If you think poor vision is increasing your risk of falls, even
  when wearing glasses, visit your Optician for a sight test.
Low-impact exercises can improve your health and
fitness without harming your joints. Get inspired
at barnsleywhatsyourmove.co.uk.

Area Teams

Your local area team will be able to let you know about support
available to help you keep warm and well this winter. Find out
more about your local area at www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/
community-and-volunteering/your-local-area-and-ward/
or by calling 01226 773555.

Renting your home?

 Your landlord’s obligations
 Your property should have an appropriate heating system
 which has been safely and properly installed, is maintained
 and should be controllable by you. You should also be able to
 ventilate your property appropriately. If you think that your
 property is too cold, too expensive to heat, or you have mould
 and damp then ask your landlord for help.
 For more support, call our Housing Team on 01226 773555, email
 safer@barnsley.gov.uk or visit barnsley.gov.uk/services/housing.

 Our Housing Team can also help with people struggling with
 self-neglect or hoarding. Contact them for support or visit
 barnsley.gov.uk/services/housing/self-neglect-and-hoarding/.

Advice from Berneslai Homes

 “When you have your heating system on remember to
 close the doors of rooms to help retain heat. At night keep
 your curtains closed and don’t cover radiators with them.”
 Anthony Spencer, Domestic Heating Manager, Berneslai Homes.
 Visit www.berneslaihomes.co.uk for useful information to
 protect you and your home. If you are struggling with your
 finances, using your heating and paying your energy bills,
 then the Tenants First Service may be able to help you.
 Email TenantsFirstService@berneslaihomes.co.uk or
 call 01226 787181.

Get your flu jab

Getting a flu jab is also
important to help you stay
well this winter. Flu is a
highly infectious disease
with symptoms that can appear quickly. It can make people’s
existing conditions worse and could lead to complications
such as pneumonia. If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccination
or you have a child that’s eligible, it’s because you or they
need it. Speak to your doctor today. Adults can also get a free
vaccination from a number of local chemists.

Protecting your home

“Look out for older friends and relatives this winter. Keep an
eye out for potential fire hazards and make sure they have
working smoke alarms. If the temperature drops and you use
an electric heater, keep it well away from anything flammable
including decorations and soft furnishings, and never use one
to dry clothes. Make sure you have a working smoke alarm on
every floor of your home and test them regularly.”
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, syfre.gov.uk
To request a Home Safety Check, please call our hotline on
0114 253 2314 or complete our online form at
syfre.gov.uk/safety-advice.

Keep COVID safe
If you haven’t already had both doses of your COVID-19 vaccine, why
not book your appointment now to make sure that you have the best
protection from severe illness caused by the virus? You can book online
today at nhs.uk/covidvaccine or by calling 119 or turn up at one of our
drop-in clinics, find out more at barnsleyccg.nhs.uk/covidvaccine.
It’s not too late to give yourself the best protection this winter.
Remember, even if you are vaccinated, it is important to:
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Wear your mask in busier indoor places, where social
  distancing is difficult.
• Keep a safe distance where possible from people you don’t live with.
Thank you for doing everything you can to protect yourself,
your friends and your family against COVID-19 this winter.

Safe sleeping
To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) it’s important
to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not
too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who
get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C, with light bedding,
is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies. It may be useful to
use a room thermometer in the room where your baby is sleeping.
Remember to remove outdoor clothing such as coats and hats
when coming indoors from the cold.
The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their cot or Moses
basket. For more information about safe sleeping, visit
www.lullabytrust.org.uk.
If you need any further advice or support about safe sleeping you can
contact the 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service on 01226 774411, email
0-19HealthTeam@barnsley.gov.uk or Facebook: Barnsley PHNS.

Top Tips

Keep up to date with weather warnings on the Met Office
website: metofce.gov.uk and get top tips at metofce.
gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/weatherready.

If you need to access anything online,
there is free WiFi in Barnsley town centre.

       If you’re worried about an adult or child’s
       safety or wellbeing, call 01226 773300 for
       adults or 01226 772423 for a child. If it’s an
       emergency ring 999.

Make sure to have a supply of food
and medicines in the house.

For local advice and support on money, benefits and
more, call Age UK Barnsley on 01226 776825, DIAL
on 01226 240273 or Citizens Advice Barnsley on
0800 144 8848 or barnsleycab.org.uk/contact-us.

Need medical advice?

Visit your pharmacist at the first sign of
illness before it gets worse. If you need urgent
medical assistance, call 111 or visit NHS 111
online at 111.nhs.uk.
In an emergency, call 999.

Remember that GP appointments are now available at
evenings and weekends in Barnsley, call iHEART Barnsley
on 01226 242419 or visit www.iheartbarnsley.org.uk.

You can also download the NHS app to your smart device,
where you can check your symptoms, book appointments
and order repeat prescriptions.

If you think you have coronavirus, do not visit your GP
or pharmacist and please visit nhs.uk/coronavirus or
use NHS 111.

 If you are worried about someone sleeping rough
 this winter, please report it through Streetlink:
 streetlink.org.uk or by emailing adviceservices@
 barnsley.gov.uk or ringing 01226 773870.