People are being asked to check on elderly and vulnerable neighbours during a cold snap which is set to grip the south east over the next week.
The government today issued an amber cold health alert which is now in place until noon on Wednesday, 8 January, and will be reviewed daily.
Brighton and Hove City Council said the cold weather could most impact vulnerable groups such as older people, families with young children, people sleeping rough and those living with long-term illnesses.
It said: “Please look out for others and check on your elderly and vulnerable neighbours to see if they need help with getting food, medicine, or care during cold weather.
“If you know people who are having problems getting services they need, contact the council’s adult social care helpline 01273 295555.
“If you are struggling to keep your home warm, you can find support with energy bills and advice about how to keep your home warm and save energy on the council’s website.
“If you’re concerned about anyone sleeping rough in the city, including people staying in tents, please report to www.streetlink.org.uk
“With temperatures dropping, the council will be out gritting the roads this evening, prioritising key routes, including bus routes and roads that lead to places like hospitals and the city centre.
“Unfortunately, gritting can’t guarantee roads are free of ice and snow. It also relies on traffic helping to mix the grit into surface water to prevent it from freezing, so please take care on roads and pavements.
“Grit bins are available at more than 400 locations in Brighton and Hove, often on steep road junctions or hills.
“If your nearest grit bin needs refilling, please let the council know through the website.”
If only the government hadn’t removed the winter fuel allowance from pensioners we wouldn’t have to make sure they are warm enough. But this government would rather freeze pensioners to death.
Don’t be ridiculous. That winter fuel allowance wouldn’t have heated my house over the Xmas period, and the problem is far deeper than dishing out 3-400quid to a whole generation of people, most of whom who have already got their heating covered.
Unfortunately, energy bills are just one aspect of increasing household bills and of a much bigger and growing poverty crisis.
And if you want to pick out groups who are struggling you could start with anyone living in rented accommodation in Brighton and Hove, or maybe the most worse off right now are those families with large mortgages to pay after the interest rates went up.
Another group to watch out for would be those on zero hour contracts, or on minimum wage.
Labour’s own analysis predicted 4,000 people across the UK would die if the winter heating fuel allowance was removed so the comment is not ridiculous. Yes, there are some very well off pensioners who are OK without it – but the government chose income above 12k a year as being “well off” so think we can all agree that is far too low. If only they’d chosen another simple method – like putting on a tax return which would catch all the real wealthy pensioners.
Yes, there are many others in cash poverty, including homeowners as you point out. What we really need is lower bills. Labour promised a reduction of £300 over this parliament. Current predictions are a £220 increase this year alone. We need to look again at how we phase in net zero. We are already many years ahead of the rest of Europe and even further ahead of the rest of the world. If we reduced our speed to the the EU rate we could save hundreds a year and still work for the environment.
Well no, the comment itself is ridiculous, and that was what I was commenting on.
Removing the winter fuel allowance has not created the need for us to check elderly neighbours, the need comes from the current cold weather – and that cold affects several at risk groups.
And nor is it true that the ‘government would rather pensioners freeze to death’, which is just politicly motivated nonesense.
But I agree with you that what we really want is a reduction in energy bills as fuel poverty is affecting numerous households.
And this is a particularly harsh cold snap for us on the south coast. The temperature in my lounge when I got home this evening was less than 8 degrees. When I arrived at work at 8am the morning, the outside temperature was -3.
Wait till the removal of the winter fuel allowance starts showing up in coroners reports on the elderly who have died of hypothermia. Just to add to #twotierkeirs woes.
It seems Labour are quite happy to let Granny freeze to death this year. No crocodile tears or token gestures from the council, please. Follow Broxtowe’s example and prove you actually care about your residents. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-broxtowe-labour-councillors-b2672965.html
Brighton council have made it as hard as possible for anyone to claim from the social fund. I tried to help a elderly resident and if you don’t have a pre-payment meter the council won’t help. So the pensioners just above the limit to claim pension credit get nothing. The council know the ones that need help but don’t want to help unlike lots of councils around the country.
This is NOT true. Having a pre payment meter or not having one has absolutely no influence on whether a pensioner can receive a B&H winter Fuel payment from the council or not. It has to do with things like how much savings they have, how much income and how much out goings etc.
That’s completely untrue about the pre-payment meter, I’ve helped a few people in my area who don’t have one. Also, most advice services actively aim to get people off meter, as they are the most expensive way of getting electric.
Have you ever considered that B&H Labour Councillors trust that the new Government has a good plan for financial stability going forward for every resident in every corner of the country. For very low income pensioners , then the Winter Fuel allowance is still going their way. For those who just miss out and are struggling, then they can apply for the new B&H Fuel payment from the council.
There has been a massive uptick in the number of people who have been applying for Pension Credit since the news was first announced; supporting people over a much longer period, not just over the winter period. In addition to entitling them to Winter Fuel Payments, TV Licence, help with housing costs, and a reduction in council tax.
Just on the cash alone, it would make someone £4,200 better off a year.
To me, that highlights a gap where people are not claiming benefits and support that they are entitled to, which means there is work to be done in getting people aware and claiming.