Pop stars, sturdy shoes and something that we think will be useful!

Like a long-forgotten pop group from the 1990s, cold weather has decided to make a comeback. At SE², we’ve spent much of the past winter delivering training to frontline workers from local authorities, the NHS and the voluntary sector. We’ve talked about the health impacts of cold weather, ways to spot someone who might be at risk from the cold and some of the simple, proven solutions that are available. Here are some of the things that we have learned along the way:

• Keeping warm outside is often overlooked. It might seem simplistic to say “put a hat on”, but it’s important that people understand how to dress for cold weather. It’s also important that people have access to a warm coat, a pair of gloves, sturdy shoes: these can be expensive items so donations, charity shops and discount stores have a part to play.
• If your job involves making appointments for people who are at risk from the cold – older or vulnerable people, families with young children, for example – then think about the timing of those appointments. First thing in the morning, it is more likely to be colder and snowy or icy underfoot, and there are more likely to be delays to public transport. In the cold weather, make appointments for vulnerable people just after lunch, when they’ll be well-fed, transport systems will be working and they’ll be able to get back home before dark.
• Energy use in the home is still not well understood. We trained one frontline worker whose household has four mobile phones, all of which are left on to charge overnight. That’s 32 hours of charging when only two hours are needed. By helping frontline workers understand their own energy use, we give them the knowledge and confidence to advise their clients on how to save energy and money at home.
• The landscape for different cold weather interventions is incredibly complex, covering income maximisation, energy efficiency, befriending, enforcement of landlords and so forth. The more that can be done to simplify and streamline access to these services, the better. This is particularly important for frontline workers who work in multiple boroughs or districts, where different local authority schemes might exist. We’ve worked in nine London Boroughs this winter, all of which have a different set of services and access points for residents. SE² are planning to develop a directory of cold weather and fuel poverty services across the London Boroughs over the coming months. We’ve already started compiling a listing with the help of local authorities. We believe that an easy-to-use Fuel Poverty Directory could make it a great deal easier for frontline workers and residents to identify and contact the services that can help them keep warm and well next winter.

If you would like to learn more about SE²’s work in this sector or about the Fuel Poverty Directory, please get in touch!