Free "keep warm" equipment
Published on 08 January 2019 04:06 PM
Amid reports of a new Best from the East hitting the region, Age UK Sheffield has launched a life-saving free service available to older people at risk of cold-related illnesses, as the winter nights draw in.
The local charity has teamed up with E.ON to offer free home energy checks and the installation of free energy efficiency equipment. A trained Age UK Sheffield handyperson will visit people’s homes to look for signs of poor insulation or draughty doors and windows.
If needed, they will fit door seals, letterbox flaps, insulating foam, energy-saving light bulbs, and cold alarms, which activate if the house temperature falls to unsafe levels. The charity will also provide advice on keeping warm through the winter.
Age UK Sheffield Chief Executive, Steve Chu, said: “Government figures show that there were 180 ‘excess winter deaths’ in Sheffield in 2015/16. That is people in our city dying as a result of cold weather. This new project will help us to prevent older people at risk of cold-related illnesses from living in cold homes this winter. But our funding for this project is limited and we will allocate appointments on a first come, first served basis.”
A limited number of Home Energy Checks is available. To refer people into the service, call (0114) 250 2850 or e-mail: enquiries@ageuksheffield.org.uk.