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Rising Costs

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago

On FB last night I read a news article in which a friend who lives on Lewis did an interview saying that she’s now had to turn off all her heating, as she literally cannot afford to run it. She has physical and mental health issues which means she can’t work. She has two girls and pets. She has no hot water. Her girls get a hot shower at their dads. She’s struggled for a while to make ends meet, but from tomorrow she will be in dire straights.

What could I help her with in terms of trying to keep warm. I know that sometimes her youngest hops into bed with her in order to get some heat.

She’s thinking about getting an oil heater, and I’ve offered to help her buy one or two.

But is there anything else that could keep her warm other than electric blankets or usual clothes.

I did think maybe getting a couple (or one for each bed) vet beds as they draw your body heat, then reflect it back. I’d be happy to get these for her and send them up.

Anyone else got any other ideas? Everyone who is short on funds is going to be in the same position soon, if not now.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

2 suggestions

1. Help her to get help. There must be financial help she can get she isn’t and may not know about. Sounds like she’s got enough on her plate.

2. Remember this come elections. Local. General. Send the Tories a message they have destroyed this country and with it peoples lives. Get them out.

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By *ily WhiteWoman
over a year ago

?

I have a friend who makes little heaters using terracotta plant pots and candles...they emit more heat than I thought they would, and can definitely take the edge off of a room. She originally made them as greenhouse heaters, but does use them in the house so she can keep heating costs down. There are guides on how to make them online

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By *innocentMan
over a year ago

Littlehampton

I don't have gas ,only electric.

Halogen heater are very economical and when sat in front of even 1 bar ,makes you so toasty.

Make the smallest room into a cosey den ,put up thick curtains ,get a draft excluder weight for the bottom of the door and the heater. 2 XL dressing gown from Primark allow you to wear one on top of the other. 5 mins sitting in my den like this ,makes me so hot I can't stay in it for too long.

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"2 suggestions

1. Help her to get help. There must be financial help she can get she isn’t and may not know about. Sounds like she’s got enough on her plate.

2. Remember this come elections. Local. General. Send the Tories a message they have destroyed this country and with it peoples lives. Get them out. "

She gets the yearly Warm Home Discount, but the last one got complications and they still haven’t sorted it out - 14 months on.

This is about helping my friend (or others) not about elections, regardless of the elections and who gets voted in or out, fuel poverty will still be a thing!

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"I have a friend who makes little heaters using terracotta plant pots and candles...they emit more heat than I thought they would, and can definitely take the edge off of a room. She originally made them as greenhouse heaters, but does use them in the house so she can keep heating costs down. There are guides on how to make them online "

That’s great thanks x

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"I don't have gas ,only electric.

Halogen heater are very economical and when sat in front of even 1 bar ,makes you so toasty.

Make the smallest room into a cosey den ,put up thick curtains ,get a draft excluder weight for the bottom of the door and the heater. 2 XL dressing gown from Primark allow you to wear one on top of the other. 5 mins sitting in my den like this ,makes me so hot I can't stay in it for too long. "

I don’t think they have Primark on Lewis. Isle of Lewis is a Scottish island in the outer Hebrides - talking wee local shops here, and Amazon

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I'm guessing she has thermal underwear etc.

Does she have an open fire could you buy logs or coal for her? How is she cooking? I know food banks are now asking for food that doesn't need cooking as people can't afford the fuel required.

I think Age Concern have a section on their web site on how to keep warm, maybe you'll get some ideas from them or by asking on the Martin Lewis site.

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"I'm guessing she has thermal underwear etc.

Does she have an open fire could you buy logs or coal for her? How is she cooking? I know food banks are now asking for food that doesn't need cooking as people can't afford the fuel required.

I think Age Concern have a section on their web site on how to keep warm, maybe you'll get some ideas from them or by asking on the Martin Lewis site.

"

I think she has central heating which is now switched off, can’t afford to turn it on.

I’ve got pre pay gas and electric, and both have around £100 topped up, but how fast that’s going to disappear from next week I don’t know.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

ScotGov announced help for those struggling, especially on the Islands, last week. She should be able to access it via the council. If she has a stove you're permitted to cut enough peat to fuel it each year, someone should have some left from last year's cut. Are her neighbours not helping or is she not speaking to them? The people I know on Lewis are tight knit and always sort each other out - if her Dad lives there then surely they should be helping her out?!?

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By *emorefridaCouple
over a year ago

La la land

I wear thermals to bed and have old heavy wool blankets.

The old blankets are much warmer than a duvet and fleece style blankets. Use a flat sheet then a blanket all tucked in at the bottom then thd duvet. It stops draughts when you move in bed and retains more heat.

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"ScotGov announced help for those struggling, especially on the Islands, last week. She should be able to access it via the council. If she has a stove you're permitted to cut enough peat to fuel it each year, someone should have some left from last year's cut. Are her neighbours not helping or is she not speaking to them? The people I know on Lewis are tight knit and always sort each other out - if her Dad lives there then surely they should be helping her out?!?"

The girls father/step father helps out a bit, but I don’t know much about him other than he beat her up, and she left him. I’ll ask her if she knows about the scotgov help, thanks

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I wonder if there's any organised community council level support.

There's this which has just started too

"The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme"

She should speak with the Home Energy Trust Scotland and get a Warmer Homes referral

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Hot water bottles, thermals and blankets round us/over us when on the sofa are things we did over the colder months so that we didn't have the heating on too much

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By *rwhowhatwherewhyMan
over a year ago

Aylesbury


"2 suggestions

1. Help her to get help. There must be financial help she can get she isn’t and may not know about. Sounds like she’s got enough on her plate.

2. Remember this come elections. Local. General. Send the Tories a message they have destroyed this country and with it peoples lives. Get them out. "

Good advice!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If someone local has some old hay or straw bales, load them up on the north and westerly side of the house and they insulate directly, better if they're covered in tarpaulin or plastic sheeting. We have a part flat roof that was always dreadfully cold and put a layer of straw up there each winter over the past 5 years. Makes good compost the following year too which is great for growing spuds.

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"I wonder if there's any organised community council level support.

There's this which has just started too

"The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme"

She should speak with the Home Energy Trust Scotland and get a Warmer Homes referral

"

Is that not the same as the Warm Home Discount for people on low income?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"2 suggestions

1. Help her to get help. There must be financial help she can get she isn’t and may not know about. Sounds like she’s got enough on her plate.

2. Remember this come elections. Local. General. Send the Tories a message they have destroyed this country and with it peoples lives. Get them out.

Good advice!"

The Tories haven't had a single vote in the Highlands since about 1850. This current energy crisis isn't about them either, it pains me to say. I wish it was that simple.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"I wonder if there's any organised community council level support.

There's this which has just started too

"The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme"

She should speak with the Home Energy Trust Scotland and get a Warmer Homes referral

Is that not the same as the Warm Home Discount for people on low income? "

I don't think it is - I know the HET can also advise on other financial aid both short and long term. Ask her to speak to either her MSP or MP as well, they can really get things moving when you need it. I had a tax issue that left me almost homeless and my MP made HMRC move the case forward almost instantly.

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"2 suggestions

1. Help her to get help. There must be financial help she can get she isn’t and may not know about. Sounds like she’s got enough on her plate.

2. Remember this come elections. Local. General. Send the Tories a message they have destroyed this country and with it peoples lives. Get them out.

Good advice!"

It might be good advice but it’s not practical

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"I wonder if there's any organised community council level support.

There's this which has just started too

"The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme"

She should speak with the Home Energy Trust Scotland and get a Warmer Homes referral

Is that not the same as the Warm Home Discount for people on low income?

I don't think it is - I know the HET can also advise on other financial aid both short and long term. Ask her to speak to either her MSP or MP as well, they can really get things moving when you need it. I had a tax issue that left me almost homeless and my MP made HMRC move the case forward almost instantly."

I had a look at the website, it doesn’t say if the person in the home has to pay for these things. The point here is that she cannot afford anything.

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By *pursChick aka ShortieWoman
over a year ago

On a mooch

I got my folks a blanket sized hoodie in November and boot slippers from Amazon. They don’t have the heating on during the day and they both love them and say they keep them warm and the draft off their backs / necks but most importantly their core warm so their hands staying warm too.

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By *pursChick aka ShortieWoman
over a year ago

On a mooch

Thete is also the £49 voucher scheme which low income families can apply for and comes three times a year.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"I wonder if there's any organised community council level support.

There's this which has just started too

"The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme"

She should speak with the Home Energy Trust Scotland and get a Warmer Homes referral

Is that not the same as the Warm Home Discount for people on low income?

I don't think it is - I know the HET can also advise on other financial aid both short and long term. Ask her to speak to either her MSP or MP as well, they can really get things moving when you need it. I had a tax issue that left me almost homeless and my MP made HMRC move the case forward almost instantly.

I had a look at the website, it doesn’t say if the person in the home has to pay for these things. The point here is that she cannot afford anything. "

I appreciate that, however if it's free then she'll better off for it. Doesn't hurt to ask. I wonder also if her mental health issues might allow her access to some other schemes, especially if she's being treated under her GP for them.

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By (user no longer on site) OP   
over a year ago


"I wonder if there's any organised community council level support.

There's this which has just started too

"The Low Income Winter Heating Assistance scheme"

She should speak with the Home Energy Trust Scotland and get a Warmer Homes referral

Is that not the same as the Warm Home Discount for people on low income?

I don't think it is - I know the HET can also advise on other financial aid both short and long term. Ask her to speak to either her MSP or MP as well, they can really get things moving when you need it. I had a tax issue that left me almost homeless and my MP made HMRC move the case forward almost instantly.

I had a look at the website, it doesn’t say if the person in the home has to pay for these things. The point here is that she cannot afford anything.

I appreciate that, however if it's free then she'll better off for it. Doesn't hurt to ask. I wonder also if her mental health issues might allow her access to some other schemes, especially if she's being treated under her GP for them. "

I’ll let her know thanks

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Its becoming a horrible hell like world and the future aint getting better covid wars and stupid money problems what next a fucking asteroid

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