Get your Home Winter ready As winter approaches we want to share some steps you can take to make sure your home is ready, but also to point to some practical advice on how to save energy and money during the colder months.
PLANNING FOR WINTER Testing your heating If you are a tenant, we carry out an annual service on your boiler to ensure that it’s operating efficiently and safely. Before the weather turns colder it’s important to test that your heating is working properly. If your heating isn’t working properly there may be a simple solution such as repressurising your boiler or bleeding your radiators. Find useful ‘how to videos’ regarding these matters scan the QR code below or visit www.sbhg.co.uk/how-tovideos
If our how to videos do not fix the problem and you are a tenant, please report a repair online. If you’re a leaseholder or a shared owner, you’re responsible for your own boiler and appliances. You should use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service your appliances. You can find an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.
Keeping your home warm The recommended temperature for sitting rooms and bedrooms is 18 – 21 c. Turning your thermostat down a single degree can save you 10% on your heating bill. Do not place furniture close to radiators as it can stop heat reaching other parts of the room. For rooms you are not using you should turn down the thermostatic radiator valves. However, all rooms should be heated occasionally to prevent damp and mould forming. Curtains and blinds help stop heat from escaping your home. Make sure you close them when it starts to get dark. You can also use draft excluders on doors and windows to keep heat in. Remember to keep rooms well ventilated to prevent condensation. You can find other tips to save energy, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint by visiting the Energy Saving Trust Website www. energysavingtrust.org.uk
Feeling chilly? Putting on an extra layer, whether it’s a jumper or pair of socks, can help save you money. Use a higher tog duvet or additional blanket to reduce using heating overnight Use leftover hot water from the kettle and fill up a hot water bottle to keep you cosy at night.
v DAMP AND MOULD Damp and mould are more common in winter because of the increased chance of condensation. Damp and mould can be easily treated where condensation is the cause. Here are some top tips to reduce condensation in your home: Click for more information
• Minimise moisture in your home • Improve airflow and ventilation • Wipe away condensation • Minimise cold surfaces • Treat outbreaks of mould
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Our Response Times During winter our response times can sometimes change due to extreme weather. Our standard response times can be seen below:
Response
Type
Time
Example
Immediate response
Priority 0
Within 4 hours
Serious leaks, no water in property
Emergency
Priority 1
Within 24 hours
Make safe storm damage
Urgent
Priority 2
Within 5 working days
No heating or hot water
Routine
Priority 3
Within 20 working days
Faulty window
Planned
Priority 4
Within 40 working days
Guttering works
If your boiler breaks down, we will treat this as an urgent repair and aim to provide a form of heating within 5 working days.
SUPPORT WE CAN OFFER Food support
Energy Support
Our dedicated Welfare Team have links with the major foodbanks in our local communities and we can also offer food vouchers through our Customer Support Fund.
We have partnered with the Fuel Bank Foundation who provide financial assistance to people who are unable to heat their home. This partnership is available to anyone who is on a prepayment meter. Please get in touch if you think we can help.
Food banks
Other types of support
To find your nearest foodbank scan the QR code or visit www.trusselltrust.org/gethelp/find-a-foodbank
We have partnered with local charities who provide grants and energy efficient solutions to keeping your home warm this winter. If you would like further information and to check eligibility, please call 0208 996 8874.
Our Welfare team work closely with local charities who can offer hygiene packages and fuel vouchers. As part of our Customer Support Fund we can also provide coats for children. If you think we can help, please give us a call on 0208 996 8900.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Warm Home Discount
Winter Fuel Payment
You could get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
If you were born before 25 September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between early October 2023 and 31 March 2024. You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity and you’re eligible. Contact your supplier to find out. The discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
The amount you get includes a ‘Pensioner Cost of Living Payment’. This is between £150 and £300. You’ll get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024. This is in addition to any other Cost of Living Payments you get with your benefit or tax credits. You will get your Winter Fuel Payment automatically (you do not need to claim) if you’re eligible and either: • Get the State Pension.
• Get another social security benefit (not including Adult Disability Payment from the Scottish Government, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit). If you do not get either of these, or if you live abroad, you may need to make a claim. If you’ve got a Winter Fuel Payment before, you do not need to claim again unless you’ve deferred your State Pension or moved abroad. For more information on the Winter Fuel Payment, visit the Government website.
Cold Weather Payments
You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting: • Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance • Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest You’ll get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. After each period of very cold weather in your area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments. Cold Weather Payments do not affect your other benefits.
THINGS TO CONSIDER Vulnerabilities
Home Contents Insurance
It’s important we know whether there are any vulnerable people in our homes so that we can ensure we prioritise our response in certain circumstances.
If you are a tenant who rents, then it is unlikely we cover your contents as part of your tenancy agreement. It’s a good idea to consider a home contents insurance policy which will help protect your possessions. No matter how careful you are, there’s always a risk that your belongings could be broken, damaged or stolen so home contents insurance can help provide peace of mind.
If you need to update vulnerabilities in your home, please email the changes to housing.services@sbhg. co.uk
Join the Priority Services Register The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free UK wide service which provides extra advice and support, including when there’s an interruption to your electricity, gas or water supply. Join here, www.thepsr.co.uk
To help you decide whether home contents insurance is right for you, we have teamed up with Thistle Tenant Risks, and Ageas Insurance Limited who provide the My Home Contents Insurance Scheme, a specialist Tenants Contents Insurance policy. You can find more information about this by visiting: www.sbhg.co.uk/home-contents-insurance.