Warm banks: good initiative, or a grim sign of the times?

Tori_Scope

Warm banks are safe places with the heating on, where people can go to get warm in the winter if they cannot afford to heat their homes. They will be run by local councils, charities, museums, libraries and NHS services across the country.

Big Issue

Many of us are feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis, especially rising energy costs. 

More warm banks have been opening up as winter dawns on us. 

Is this a good initiative, a grim sign of the times, or both? 

Remember that you can let us know how the cost of living crisis is affecting you this winter to support our fight for greater support for disabled people.

durhamjaide2001

I went to the bank today with a volunteer at scope and it was lovely a warm. It's like you have read my mind. 

Tori_Scope

Ah, what a coincidence @durhamjaide2001! I'm glad that you were able to benefit from some warmth How are you finding the colder weather at the moment?

leeCal

I could do with a warm bank myself, I’m freezing. Got my outside clothes on and still cold but the heating is too expensive to have on for long. It’s eight Celsius in my house. I’ll probably put the heating on at around seven or eight o’clock to warm up before bed time. 

Sandy_123

Its absolutely crazy in 21st century Britain that people have to go out to get warm. Imagine those who can't get out

Tori_Scope

It might be worth checking to see what's available in your area, if you feel it'd be helpful for you @leecal I know the feeling of wearing a coat over lots of layers inside the house and still being cold, and it's not pleasant at all. 

Tori_Scope

It seems that way to me too @Sandy_123. And I share your concerns over whether all people can access warm banks. I wonder if there are any schemes out there to help people access them if they need?

leeCal

There’s a warm church not far away. They do tea or coffee too. I might check it out tomorrow. Thanks @Tori_Scope.

Tori_Scope

That sounds like a good idea to me @leecal Let us know how you get on with them today, if you do end up going!

leeCal

I have to stay in today because a plumber is coming to look at my leaking bath tap, he won’t fix it today but he will look at it. I should have just sent a photograph he could keep 🤣

meantime ive wrapped up again and I’m using a hot water bottle which is helping. We had the heating on last night from seven til eleven and it cost £7.78 approx, to my mind that’s just too much, but I suppose getting ill isn’t a good idea either. Problems problems. 

janer1967

Just wondering if @ResilientNeighbour7 would benefit from this and @Amberpearl

I think they are good idea for those that can get out but it's diabolical in this day and age that we have to resort to these measures 

I dare not look at the daily cost but maybe I should 

My heating is set to come on from 7am to 11pm but it only comes on if the temp drops below 19 degrees . I have turned the temp down from last year by 2 degrees and stopped it coming on in the night 

So fingers crossed I can afford the bills with the additional support we have had 

Tori_Scope

Ahh, I hate being held hostage by waiting for someone to come round @leecal! I hope they managed to take a look at it. 

I also like using a hot water bottle  

leeCal

Yes @Tori_Scope He came and looked and he has a plan which he will enact on Monday til them I have a marigold glove wrapped around it double thick to stop the drip drip drip of hot water! It’s been that sort of week I’m afraid.

ResilientNeighbour7

Thanks for sharing but I won’t be going anywhere now until the neighbour is removed .
ny thermostat doesn’t even work so for the next repair appointment that’s the tass because of [Removed by moderator - name of housing association] engineeers stupidity 
im feeling very ill but nobody understands and yes this asb has impact Ed me 
I couldn’t attend my derm app today I’m so unwell and I needed to go esp with this new rash 
I’ll email stupid staff now to say thanks for nothing 
mall their staff are utterly useless anyway yet they drive fancy big cars what they get paid for I don’t know 
I am shivering shaking aching rotting as per and the neighbour and his mates are chilling out but I still affirm whether in this lifetime or beyond these vicious people will get their comeuppance 
I can’t afford to keep using mob data nor can I just run away on some holiday or get away or drive off unlike everybody else but this weekend I’m on strike no eating no job applications no speaking no complaining no asking for help no praying no logging nor recording no 
yes I’ll clean and read and avoid literally sitting and staring at walls but I won’t be feaongered into leaving my flat fornithers vonveneineve 
He is such a liar as is the woman next door do you know he even had the audacity to say she came to complain about my alarm yes I did earlier this year because he’s taken a parcel plus the noise was and still to this day has been loud and he brought that up in the conversation too 
and they laughed about 
I never heard them come into the but as soon as I heard the conversation I heard most of it 
nobody understands dear until they’re are the victims 
once again these are people who have got away 
no further action being taken though!
unbelievable and unacceptavkd
good Bye 

poppy123456

janer1967 said:

I think they are good idea for those that can get out but it's diabolical in this day and age that we have to resort to these measures 

I dare not look at the daily cost but maybe I should 

My heating is set to come on from 7am to 11pm but it only comes on if the temp drops below 19 degrees . I have turned the temp down from last year by 2 degrees and stopped it coming on in the night 

So fingers crossed I can afford the bills with the additional support we have had 

I started off by just putting it on for about 90 minutes in the morning and again at about 8pm for 2 hours. Then it started to get colder and i couldn't deal with the cold feeling in the house, despite having an electric throw from my energy supplier. My health is always so much worse during the winter.

My elder daughter told me off for limiting when i use the heating and told me i needed the heat because of my health and there's no need to limit what i use because between my daughter and myself we can easliy afford the bills, with the Governments help too.

I do have a smart meter and i can see on the app how much in Kwh i'm using. Yesterday i put it on for 2 hours in the morning and again at 4pm until 10pm and kept it at 19 degrees and used £4.35 for all those hours. My boiler is only 3 years old so that really does help a lot.

Have you checked the cold weather payment checker? a payment has been activated for a lot of areas. Check here. https://coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk/

janer1967

Thanks poppy my area has triggered a payment bit ir says from 9th to 15th Dec which hasn't happened yet so don't get how that works 

poppy123456

janer1967 said:

Thanks poppy my area has triggered a payment bit ir says from 9th to 15th Dec which hasn't happened yet so don't get how that works 

That's odd, i didn't know they did it in advance. Mine says from 6th to 12th.

Geoark

I prefer my heated gillet, with a long sleeve tshirt underneath.

I find it a lot easier to work with rather than getting all layered up. Though just over three weeks without heating or hot water, the first thing I did after heating the bathroom up was to enjoy a shower.

Personally I would not use a local heating bank. Recently Covid has been on the increase again, plus flu and other winter ailments, I would prefer to keep self isolating. 

janer1967

Poppy that's still in advance as only 10th today 

Hannah_Alumni

There is a website called Warm Welcome that has a postcode checker for you to find your local warm hub.