Stay well this winter

Support from our Warm Homes team

If you’re worried about paying your energy bills or struggling to keep your home warm, we can help by advising you on making your home warmer and cheaper to run.

We can provide:

• advice on how to improve your home with energy-saving measures
• assistance with applications for grants for heating and insulation
• information and signposting to other services including DIAL's Warm Connections, Citizens Advice, and Age UK Barnsley.
• referrals to the Green Doctors for damp and mould support

Our Warm Homes team will be attending regular events around the borough. Follow the Warm Homes Facebook page for more details.

For more information, visit our warm homes webpage. You can get in touch with us by calling 01226 773366 or emailing warmhomes@barnsley.gov.uk.

Help with energy bills

If you're eligible for the government's Warm Homes Discount Scheme you'll receive a £150 discount off your electricity bill. Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill automatically.

You may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment if you receive certain benefits, or the Winter Fuel Payment depending on your age.

GOV.UK also has advice around help to pay your energy bills.

Where to get advice

If you're struggling to pay your bills, Citizens Advice Barnsley can offer you advice. Book a Citizens Advice appointment online or visit one of their drop-in sessions around the borough where you can speak with an advisor

DIAL can provide expert advice and assistance to check your benefits entitlement, advise you of your options and guide you through the process of applying. To find out more and to speak to an advisor face to face, contact DIAL by calling 01226 240273, emailing first.contact@dialbarnsley.org.uk or visiting the DIAL website.

Age UK Barnsley can support older members of the community with a range of issues including money, benefits and more. Call them on 01226 776825 or see the list of Age UK services online.

Tips to stay warm

You should try to heat rooms you spend a lot of time in, such as the living room or bedroom, to at least 18°C and keep the windows closed. Wearing multiple layers of thin clothing can also keep you warmer than one thicker layer.

We have Welcoming Spaces across the borough offering a free, warm and friendly space.

GOV.UK also has a guide to keeping warm and well, including a British Sign Language (BSL) video and easy read information.

Helping others this winter

Look out for others during cold weather, particularly older neighbours, family, friends and those who may need extra support during winter. Keep in touch with them and ask if they're feeling well, or if they need any practical help with anything.

People who meet certain criteria might be able to get extra support from their energy supplier by signing up to the Priority Services Register. Speak to your supplier to see if you’re eligible.

If you're worried about someone

If you’re worried someone is suffering from harm, neglect or abuse, contact our safeguarding team:

• call 01226 773300 if you're worried about an adult
• call 01226 772423 if you're worried about a child

If your call is out of office hours call 01226 787789. If you're deaf you can text us on 61009 and start your message with the word SAFE.

In an emergency always call 999.

If you're worried about someone sleeping rough you can report this through Streetlink, by emailing adviceservices@barnsley.gov.uk or by calling 01226 773870. Find out more about homelessness and housing advice.

Falls prevention

While falls are not inevitable, they can be a common problem for older people, so we must all take simple  steps to make sure we are not at risk. There are lots of simple things you can do to reduce your risk of falls, including the following:

• Regularly get your hearing and sight checked to help identify problems early.
• If you’re taking medication, make sure you have a yearly review.
• Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Watch out for clutter, trailing wires, rugs, uneven floors, spills and slippery floors.
• Wear properly fitting shoes and slippers which can help reduce slips and trips.

Find out more on our falls prevention webpage.

Staying active is a great way to improve your strength and balance while reducing your risk of falls. Get inspired at the What's Your Move website.

Our Barnsley Older People Physical Activity Alliance (BOPPAA) also offer a wide range of fun activities in our communities to get you moving. Find out more on the BOPPAA webpage.

Fire hazards and home fire safety checks

You should keep an eye out for potential fire hazards in your home and make sure you have working smoke alarms on every floor. Make sure you test them regularly.

If the temperature drops and you use an electric heater, keep it well away from anything flammable including decorations and soft furnishings, and never use it to dry clothes.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue offer in-person home fire safety checks to those at an increased risk of fire. To check your eligibility, fill in their online home fire safety check or call 0114 253 2314.

Landlord responsibilities if you're a private tenant

If you’re a private tenant renting your home from a landlord, your property should have an appropriate heating system which has been safely installed, is maintained and should be controllable by you. If you think your property is too cold, too expensive to heat, or you have damp and mould (more common in winter), ask your landlord for help.

Your landlord has a legal duty to ensure your property is well maintained and to carry out repairs. They should also ensure that working smoke alarms are installed on every level of the property and carbon monoxide detectors are fitted in rooms which have a solid fuel appliance like an open fire or log burner.

If your landlord isn't dealing with issues in a timely manner, tell us by calling 01226 773555 or emailing safer@barnsley.gov.uk.

For more information visit our advice for private tenants webpage. Shelter also provide advice about damp and mould in private rented homes

Winter advice for Berneslai Homes tenants

The Berneslai Homes cold weather page has useful tips and advice to help protect you and your home.

If you're struggling with the cost of living, paying your bills or paying for essential items such as food, clothing, and toiletries, visit the Berneslai Homes cost of living support page to see how the Tenants First team can help and support you.

If you have problems with damp and mould in your home, visit Berneslai Homes damp and mould page for advice, tips and how to report it.

You can contact Berneslai Homes by calling 01226 787878.

Safe sleeping for babies

Keeping your baby at a comfortable temperature while they sleep will help keep them safe and reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A room temperature of 16 to 20 degrees Celsius, with light bedding, is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies.

Babies should never sleep with a hot water bottle, electric blanket or next to a heater, fire or radiator. You should remove their outdoor clothing such as coats and hats when coming indoors, as babies can overheat because of too much clothing.

The safest place for a baby to sleep for the first six months is in their cot or Moses basket in the same room as you. Make sure the cot or Moses basket is a clear space with no toys, bumpers or pillows.

For more information about safe sleeping visit the Lullaby Trust website. For support you can contact our 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service on 01226 774411, email 0-19healthteam@barnsley.gov.uk or visit their Facebook page at Barnsley PHNS.

Winter vaccinations

Illnesses such as flu and COVID-19 spread more easily in winter when we spend more time together indoors, potentially making people very ill. Having your vaccines will help you stay healthy.

Getting your flu and COVID-19 vaccines are two of the most important things you can do to keep yourself and others around you safe this winter. If you’re vaccinated and catch flu or COVID-19, you’re likely to have milder symptoms and recover faster. If you’re eligible for a vaccine, you'll be contacted by the NHS to remind you where you can get it.

You can find out how to book a vaccine appointment on the NHS website. If you can’t get online, you can call 119 for free.

Get medical advice

You should visit your pharmacist at the first sign of illness. Pharmacists are trained medical professionals and can help you with many minor ailments and illnesses.

• If you need urgent medical assistance call 111 or visit NHS 111 online. This service is available 24 hours a day.
• In an emergency you should always call 999.

GP appointments are available at evenings and weekends in Barnsley. For more information call iHEART Barnsley on 01226 242419 or visit the Barnsley Healthcare Federation website.

You can also download the NHS App to your smartphone where you can check your symptoms, book appointments and order repeat prescriptions.

Share your experience of health services

If you live in Barnsley and have used or need to use the services provided by a GP, hospital, dentist, care home or other support service, Healthwatch Barnsley want to hear about your experience.

Healthwatch Barnsley are an independent organisation and have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to your voice and improve standards of care for people in Barnsley.

Call 01226 320106, email hello@healthwatchbarnsley.org.uk, or tell Healthwatch Barnsley about your experience online.