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Cold weather

tsureshan

I wonder how many disabled people suffering in this cold weather without affordable to put heating and have hot food then end up in A&E and making hard for hospital staff to manage beds because of the current government not supporting any of us in winter?

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Comments

Rosie_Scope

Winter is a difficult time for lots of people @tsureshan, it's sad to think how many people will struggle to stay warm. And as you say, sometimes that can impact other services too.

There are still some cold weather payments if the temperature drops below 0 degrees for 7 days, but it doesn't feel like a lot of help.

Scope do run an energy support service if anyone needs help managing their bills this winter:

Disability Energy Support | Disability charity Scope UK

Hope you're managing to stay warm at the moment!

tsureshan

because my bill 1.35 credit I don’t get any help

Pickle72

I am a disabled person in my 50s and I can’t afford to put the heating on. I lost my job due to ill health and I can’t get benefits as my husband has a work pension. I try all different ways to keep warm. Heated blankets help a lot. I wonder if disabled people qualify for any winter fuel payments or support.
I've managed to get through two previous Christmas’s by staying with an elderly relative who wants the company and can afford her heating bills as she’s on pension credit.
It is miserable being cold and hungry and I do try to ignore the Christmas adverts with tables laden with tonnes of food. That’s simply not the reality for a lot of people.

Take care everyone and I do hope that you get through the winter ok.

JW77

Its hard at the moment to give actual stats on this due to Covid in the past few years.. But it's higher than it should be. I was reading an article earlier that pointed out, that in 'real terms' the cold weather payment is the equivalent of 87p (Byline news or similar, they do their research). In England anyway..

What aren't people shouting from the rooftops in this.. Without being too gloomy I can see why some reporters are using terms such as 'Dickensian'

I don't think any government has been able to properly support its citizens for some years, in the UK at least. We are sooo behind by comparison to efficient, A rated housing, lower heating bills etc.

We have solar (thanks to a progressive HA) but they won't let us install batteries), in effect they could retrofit the street for tenants to very low bills.

We're in credit, as a disabled couple, and can afford the bills. But we still use food co ops to keep the bills down, and try not to leave the heating on constantly..

JessieJ

I have no heating & won't have again this winter, but, I'm using the fire app to con my brain. 🤪 I will be having hot meals though.

durhamjaide2001

I am also struggling with cold weather I am lucky in a financial way that I live with my parents and I have no rent to pay. However when I'm out and about at work I feel the cold more and I hate wrapping up.