1. Warm Homes Healthy People The Assembly Rooms, Tamworth, February 22 nd 2012 Martin Chadwick Chief Officer, Beat the Cold

2. Cold Weather Plan Issued by the Department of Health 1,560 more people die per week between December and March Disease caused by cold private housing costs NHS £850m+ per year Plan triggers action in health and social care – 4 levels Prepare Identify Who is most at risk? Work systematically To reduce risk Support and advice more acceptable from a trusted source

3. Cold Weather Plan Plan intended to mobilise communities and civil society Level 1 Prepare – flu jab; insulation; look out for neighbours; check benefits Level 2 – severe weather forecast Weather forecast; food and medicine stocked; room temperatures; keep an eye on people at risk Level 3 – Response to severe weather Set daytime room temperatures (21C and 18C); dress warmly and eat well; check on those at risk Level 4 – Major incident No additional actions for civil society groups; actions from Level 3 maintained; severe disruption to health and social care

4. Health risks from the cold Asthma Chronic bronchitis or emphysema Coronary heart disease Stroke Worsening of conditions in winter Chronic pain Falls Multiple mental health risk Excess winter mortality, 2002 – 09 England – light blue Tamworth – dark blue

5. Who is most at risk? Elderly people Raised blood pressure At home more and less mobile May not notice a fall in temperature Very young children People with long-term illness or disability Vulnerability cuts across different kinds of people and different levels of income

6. What do people say? What do you notice? Home is usually too cold Home is draughty Fuel bills are too high Worried about paying bills, or in debt Stay in bed to keep warm Sit with hot water bottle Wants to stay in hospital, where it is warm Cold and damp, smell Condensation on the walls or windows and mould Only heating is an electric fire or fan heater, perhaps bottled gas Using few rooms Curtains closed in the day Unopened bills and letters

7. From home visits in Tamworth Negotiate with fuel company to pay WHD Changed tariff to reduce by £100 a year Refund standing charge and pay WHD Change company to save £244 a year Negotiate with Warm Front; refer because disrepair Checked and demonstrated storage heaters, cancelled gas account since no gas in property Refer to Spirita and British Legion re faulty boiler Clients with COPD, heart problems, cancer …

8. Programme DateTimePlace 22 Feb10 – 12.15Stonydelph Health Centre (possible link with Annandale and Oakendale) 24 Feb10 – 12.15 28 Feb10 – 12.15 1 March10 – 12.15 6 March10 – 4Ankerfield Shopping Centre 20 March10 – 4 Two days on Tamworth Market went well – we may go back We will be arranging at least two days activity in late March / early April and welcome suggestions for venues and agencies to join us.

9. Insulation – Tamworth free offer Free of charge, regardless of tenure or benefits Likely annual savings Virgin loft£175 Loft top up£25 Cavity wall insulation £135 From June 2011 to 19 January – 1,788 measures installed, and rising Time limited Currently on offer to 31 March With the end of CERT, most subsidy will cease, late 2012

10. Insulation – Tamworth free offer Solid wall insulation Reduced prices for home owners and private tenants Greatest reduction for houses off the gas main Greatest reduction for people in receipt of certain benefits Together, these may result in FREE insulation Likely annual savings - £375+ Can improve the appearance HEAT has been working with local company, Rockwarm, to install insulation free of charge. Other companies may have similar offers, but are unlikely to offer cavity wall and loft insulation free of charge to all households.

11. Improving heating Warm Front Heating installation and repair Maximum value - £3,500 (or £6,000 if off gas main) Eligibility much restricted and budget reduced Spirita Health Through Warmth Additional capacity, with WHHP funding Crisis response

12. Reducing fuel bills Tariffs and switching – more from CAB Meters and bills Do the readings match? Are the meters connected properly Changing behaviour Eg Energy Monitor for some households (not WHHP) Controlling heating sensibly Discussion of lifestyle

13. Warm Home Discount £120 a year off electricity bill Mandatory In receipt of Pension Credit guarantee only (11 Sept) Automatic for many, through limited data sharing between DWP and fuel companies Discretionary Other vulnerable groups A different definition at each fuel company Funding insufficient for the number of qualifying households Details on DECC web site and in Consumer Focus guide Some smaller suppliers have a limited offer Worth contacting your electricity company if you may qualify

14. Make a referral – contact us HouseholdYour details (if different) Name (& title) Address & Post Code Phone number Alternative contact (as required) Brief description of circumstances (optional) Name Organisation or job title Contact details Phone number (optional)

15. Contact HEAT 0800 043 2815 01782 683796 heat@beatcold.org.uk HEAT The Bridge Centre Birches Head Road Stoke-on-Trent ST2 8DD The service is run by two independent voluntary agencies, working together: Beat the Cold Marches Energy Agency For more details: martin@beatcold.org.uk 01782 683813