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Keeping you and your home healthy this winter

On this page you’ll find links to lots of information about financial help, reducing the energy and water you use, and keeping you and your home healthy.

Help is available for you.

We’ve pulled together links and information from across our website around the support available to you.

We are here to help and there’s lots we can do; the most important thing is to let us know. Click here to contact us.

Financial support

Guidance and information about financial support for you.

Ongo Talk mental health support

Our free mental health support which aims to help you by providing trusted and confidential counselling.

Skills and personal development

Helping you find your way back into employment

Damp, mould & condensation

Learn more about reporting damp and mould, and our policies around this

Energy and water savings

Here are some energy and water saving things you can do right now to reduce the amount you use – helping to save you money.

Turn your thermostat down

One of the simplest energy saving tips is turning your heating down a single degree. You might not think such a small amount would make a difference – but according to the Energy Saving Trust, going from 20C to 19C (for example) can cut your heating bill by 10%.

You should maintain a minimum indoor temperature of 18°C to ensure you’re comfortable and your home remains warm.

Turning off radiators completely in rooms you are not using is less energy efficient as this means your boiler has to work harder to maintain the temperature of a room you are heating than if kept at a low setting. Turning off radiators can also cause issues with damp and mould.

Wash your clothes at a lower temperature

Washing at 30C will help to save energy and money, and most modern washing powders are designed to work well at these temperatures.

Items including bedding and towels should be washed at at least 40C.

Keep your appliances clean

Clean your lint filter of your tumble dryer as often as possible. This will save energy by making sure it runs properly, and reduces the risk of a fire.

Shorter showers

Spending one minute less in the shower could save £8 per person a year, and with a water meter, a further £11. Turning the shower on when you get in means that you’re not wasting any water unnecessarily.

Keeping your home healthy

There are some ways that you can keep your home healthy too.

Condensation is more common in colder weather, because there’s a bigger difference in temperature between the air in your home and the air outside. You can spot condensation as water collecting on the inside of windows or on the window sill.

But whatever the season, it’s really important to try and prevent and remove it, so that it doesn’t lead to further issues such as damp and mould. To remove condensation, simply wipe windows with a cloth so that they are dry. It’s a good idea to open windows for a short period once you’ve done this to allow proper ventilation.

Useful contacts

National Energy Action

National Energy Action is a fuel poverty charity ensuring that everyone can afford to live in a warm, safe and healthy home. Find out more about them here.

Better Housing Better Health is a service supporting residents to stay warm, keep safe and live well in their homes. Find out more about them here.

Useful videos

If you are unsure of anything having watched these videos, please get in touch with us. If you are having to top-up your boiler often, please get in touch as this could indicate a problem with your boiler.

Customers