Low income households and people living with long term or chronic health conditions are at greater risk of secondary illness as result of living in a cold home.
Living in a cold home over a long period can also raise blood pressure and cause stiffness in joints, increasing the risks of trips & falls, respiratory illness, cardio-vascular and stroke events. Research suggests that treating ill health caused by living in a cold home costs almost £1m per year in Calderdale.
The Council has a range of services to help lower income owner occupiers and private tenants make their homes warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat? These include:
- Free First Time Central Heating
- Small heating repair grants to fix heating and hot water boilers
- Replacement central heating boilers and new heating systems
- Warmth on prescription for low income households with chronic or terminal health conditions (health professional referral needed)
- Insulation to reduce heat loss
- Draught proofing and radiator reflector panels to improve thermal comfort
- A range of grant assistance and interest free loans to help qualifying households cover the cost of the works
Where can you receive help?
Contact the Housing Energy Team for advice on affordable warmth and energy efficiency; Email heat@calderdale.gov.uk or telephone 01422 288001.
Or complete a Safe and Warm Homes referral card. [PDF 194KB] .
Benefit entitlement checks
If you are on a low income, it’s important to make sure you are claiming the benefits you are entitled to. This can help increase your household income and help you to cover the cost of your energy bills and other essential household costs. More importantly, it can open up access to schemes like the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) for households that are in receipt of certain qualifying means tested benefits or tax credits, see: Housing energy schemes .
Various organisations can assess your circumstances and help you to apply for the benefits which you may be entitled to. Contact one of the following for details: