Getting winter ready our top tips guide
We want our customers to have a safe, comfortable, and worry-free winter.
Money
Energy
Food
Safety
We have created this short guide to share some helpful information and resources from customers and colleagues on:
Home
Contact us
Look out for winter payments
Cold weather payment The government’s Cold Weather Payment scheme for England begins on 1 November. The scheme pays out £25 for each seven-day period the weather is recorded to be 0°C or below. It runs until 31 March.
Winter Fuel Payment The Winter Fuel Payment is given by the government to people born before 25 September 1957. It is aimed at helping people pay their heating bills and is between £250 and £600. It includes a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment between £150 and £300 and is separate from other Cost of Living Payments. Most people who are eligible will get the payment automatically between November and December. While most eligible pensioners will receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically, a small number of people may need to make a claim for it. To check if you need to do this visit gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment
Pension Credit This is available to support the most vulnerable pensioners. You can check your eligibility at gov.uk/pensioncredit. You can still qualify for the £300 Cost of Living Payment if you make a successful backdated Pension Credit application by 10 December 2023
Budgeting is not the most exciting topic. Making sure we have enough to last until pay day is so important for our health and wellbeing. If we can save some money as well, that is even better. Zara Kelly Financial inclusion manager
Your income and outgoings “Making sure you know what you have coming in, going out and what you are spending your money on is important. You can use our budgeting tool at budgetnew.entitledto.co.uk/homegroup. It’s free to use and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Paying your bills “If you are paid at the end of the month, set your Direct Debits for first of each month. Direct Debits can be more regular, if you are paid weekly, set them to suit your needs. It is important to help prevent arrears, late payment fees and bounced Direct Debits. If you cannot do the above or think you will dip into your bill budget, most organisations can change your payment date.
Remember “If you are worried about money, struggling to pay your rent, looking for benefits support or help with budgeting then contact our financial inclusion team. The contact details can be found on the back cover of this guide.”
Stay warm, save energy
Lower the water heater temperature on your boiler to help reduce costs.
Instead of turning up the heat, try wearing warm clothing and using blankets. Do not avoid using your heating though.
Turn your thermostat down by one degree. It can help the average household save around £100 a year.
Keep curtains closed at night to trap heat inside and open them during the day to let sunlight in.
Check for drafts and air leaks in your home. Sometimes even a blanket across the bottom of the door can do wonders. This will prevent warm air from escaping and cold air from getting in.
If you rent a home from us and your windows and/or doors are letting in a lot of cold air, you may need to report this as a repair. Visit homegroup.org.uk/repairs to do this.
Make sure your radiators do not have cold patches, they may need bleeding if they do. Visit homegroup.org.uk/radiator to find out how to bleed your radiator.
Here are some tips on how to make this happen:
How much energy do you use?
Understanding your energy usage
0.34p PER HOUR
0.95p PER HOUR
37p PER HOUR
41p PER HOUR
61p PER HOUR
£1.02p PER HOUR
0kwh – 1kwh A phone charger costs around 0.17p per hour. A Light bulb costs around 0.34p per hour. A fridge costs around 0.95p per hour.A television costs around 1.02p per hour.A slow cooker costs around 0.8p per hour.A washing machine costs around 0.24p per hour.An air fryer costs around 0.34p per hour. 1kwh – 1.5kwh An iron costs around 37p per hour.A toaster costs around 41p per hour.A microwave costs around 41p per hour.A dishwasher costs around 41p per hour.A vacuum cleaner costs around 48p per hour.
1.5kwh – 2kwh An eclectic hob costs around 58p per hour.A kettle costs around 61p per hour. 2kwh – 3kwh An oven costs around 68p per hour.A tumble dryer costs around £1.02p per hour.
Remember Being energy efficient during the winter can help you save on energy costs and become more sustainable.
How to use food banks
Sometimes things get tough, and you might find yourself or someone you know needing to use a food bank. Here are our tips on how you can use them:
Get a food bank voucher To receive items from a food bank, you will usually need a voucher. Vouchers are usually provided by professionals like doctors, social workers, or local support agencies. They will take a look at your situation and give you a voucher if they think you need emergency food assistance. You can also contact our financial inclusion team for help getting a voucher, their information can be found on the cover of this guide.
Find your nearest food bank Once you have a voucher, find your nearest food bank. The Trussell Trust has the largest network of food banks in the UK, visit trusselltrust.org/find to find one. You can also ask community groups on social media or search online to find independent food banks in your local area.
Visit the food bank Take your voucher to the food bank and they will provide you with a food parcel that should include essential food items.
What an emergency food parcel could include: Tinned meat (meatballs, hot dogs etc.) Tinned fish (tuna, sardines etc.) Tinned fruit Tinned veg (carrots, peas etc.) Tinned meals (curries, chilli, pasta etc.) Tinned soup Rice/lentils Cereal Biscuits Pasta Pasta sauce UHT milk Coffee Long-life juice
Members of our Wonder Women customer group and over 30 customers from our anyone@home digital involvement group, shared their top tips to help with the cost of living. Here are their ideas on how you can save on food and eat well:
Eat well, for less
“Make a list before you go. Only buy what you need and try to stick to healthy basics.” “It takes time, but comparing prices in different supermarkets is important.” “Don’t go shopping when hungry, you tend to buy more.” “Go to your supermarket just before they close and get reduced cost items. Remember things can be frozen and saved for later.” “If you are regularly throwing food away then cut back, try not to buy the stuff you throw out again.” “Shop wisely. Some discount stores do branded goods at a reduced price, or you can buy cheaper own brand goods.”
“Try to buy items that have longer best before dates to reduce food waste. Remember, sometimes food is okay after its best before date or can be frozen to use later. However, use by dates should not be exceeded.” “When things are on offer (like buy two, get one free) consider whether you could split the cost with friends or family.” “Loyalty and club cards can reduce prices at bigger supermarkets. Or try your local shop for a bargain. They often have stock which you can’t find in supermarkets and shopping local is good for the community.”
When you shop
When you cook
“Plan a weekly menu to make sure none of your food goes to waste.” “Try batch cooking. You can make double the amount and freeze the other half.” “Use a slow cooker. It’s good for cheaper cuts of meat and batch cooking.” “If using your oven try cooking several items at a time rather than cooking things separately.” “Cooking in bulk means there are meals already prepared if you’re tired or something unexpected happens.”
You can also get toiletries and personal hygiene items such as soap, toothpaste, nappies and sanitary products
Food banks are not supposed to be used for the long term. It is important to reach out for financial support if you need it. Find the contact information here.
Spotting a scam
It is a great time to stay connected and shop online but remember to look out for and report scams.
To Scammers are getting increasingly cunning in the way they try to get access to your personal details and your money. This is often known as phishing. Phone calls, texts or emails pretending to be from the Government, NHS and utility companies are becoming more and more common. You may also see an increase in texts or emails stating you have missed a parcel or that your shopping account has been suspended the more you shop online.
Safeguarding your family and home from fire is really important. To reduce fire risks at home, follow these safety measures:
Staying safe
Take your time. Think about what is being offered to you. A genuine company will give you time to think, where scammers will often try to make you panic and act quickly. Be wary if you are asked for personal details. Never give out personal information, such as passwords or bank details to an organisation or individual you do not know or trust. Even if something looks or sounds genuine it could still be a scam. Watch out for suspicious links. Do not click on something if you are not 100% sure it is genuine. Go to the website directly rather than clicking on suspicious links. Check for poor grammar, spelling errors and off company branding. Most companies are protective of their brand and would not send out important messages with mistakes. This is a sign that something is not right.
Socket safety Avoid overloading sockets and check wires for damage such as cuts and frays.
Faulty products Faulty products, like washing machines and tumble dryers, can cause a fire risk. You should register your product with the manufacturer so they can update you with safety information.
Smoking Do not leave a cigarette unattended and empty a hot ashtray.
Candles We recommend not using candles as they are easy to knock over. If you do use them, keep them in a candle holder, away from anything flammable and out of reach of children and pets.
Kitchen safety Most fires start in the kitchen; be cautious with cooking, handle pans safely, and respond to smoke or overheating quickly.
Bedtime checks Close doors before sleeping to contain fires. Make sure electrical items such as TVs and computers are switched off.
Smoke alarms Regularly test your smoke alarms. If you rent a home from us and it does not work, report this by visiting homegroup.org.uk/repairs
If you think there is an immediate risk to your own or someone else’s safety, always call 999.
Report it online at homegroup.org.uk/asb Tell your support worker or housing manager Call us on 0345 141 4663 If it is out of hours and not an emergency, you can also report the incident to the police by calling 101.
How do I report anti-social behaviour to Home Group?
Get in touch
The easiest way to contact us is on live chat at homegroup.org.uk Use My Home Account to track repairs and make payments. Visit myaccount.homegroup.org.uk to log in or register. You can also call us on 0345 141 4663. Our customer service centre (CSC) is open: Monday–Friday: 8am–6pmSaturday live chat only: 8am–12noon Our customer service centre (CSC) will be open as usual over the holidays, except from the following dates where only the emergency service is available: Sat 23rd – Tue 26th DecemberSat 30th – Sun 31st December