Guidance

Keeping warm and well: staying safe in cold weather

Updated 13 March 2024

Applies to England

This guidance provides advice for everyone on how to stay warm and well during winter. Anyone can become unwell if they get too cold. It is important to follow this guidance so that you are prepared for cold weather and can take action to keep yourself warm. There are also actions you can take to keep healthy during the cold weather.

Some people are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell because of exposure to cold. There are dedicated guidance documents for those working with people in these groups.

About cold weather and health

Whilst exposure to cold weather can affect anyone, some people are particularly at risk. These include:

• older people (aged 65 years and over)
• people with long-term health conditions such as cardiovascular or respiratory disease, or a mental health condition
• pregnant women
• young children (particularly those aged 5 and under)
• people with learning disabilities
• people at risk of falls
• people who live alone and may be unable to care for themselves
• people who are housebound or have low mobility
• people living in deprived circumstances

There are many reasons for the increased risk of ill-health in cold weather. These include:

• poor quality housing and particularly cold homes
• higher frequency of circulating infectious diseases, such as flu and norovirus during the winter months
• physical hazards such as snow and ice.

During cold weather, people may also use malfunctioning or inappropriate appliances to heat their homes. This can increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

When a house is damp as well as cold, mould is more likely to occur. This can increase the risk of illness, especially from asthma.

Keep your home warm

You should heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you. Low indoor temperatures can have a serious impact on your health, especially if you have medical conditions or are older.

Simple changes can help to keep you and your home warm. These include:

• try to heat rooms you spend a lot of time in, such as the living room or bedroom, to at least 18°C
• try to reduce draughts; you can fit draft excluders around doors cheaply
• keep your bedroom windows closed at night
• wear several layers of thinner clothing; this could keep you warmer than one thicker layer

Seek financial support

People in financial difficulty may find it more difficult to heat their homes sufficiently. This increases the risk of becoming unwell due to cold exposure. There are grants, benefits and sources of advice available to help you make your home more energy efficient, improve your heating or help manage energy bills. There are also support measures in place to help with the cost of living, especially for those on low incomes. For example, if you claim certain benefits or tax credits, you may be eligible for an extra payment from the government to help with the cost of living. The government has published energy saving tips to help save money on bills.

Look after yourself and others

There are other things you can do to reduce risks from cold exposure to yourself and others around you.

You can get vaccinated to help reduce risk from respiratory illnesses during the winter. This is particularly important if you have certain long-term health conditions that mean you are more vulnerable to the effects of cold weather. You can check your eligibility for a flu vaccination or COVID-19 booster online. Contact your pharmacist or GP or visit the NHS England website to learn more.

You should treat minor winter ailments like colds or sore throats promptly. NHS England provides information on steps you can take to manage colds or sore throats yourself, and when it may be appropriate to visit your local pharmacist for further advice and treatment. You can find details for your nearest pharmacy by searching online

If you are worried about your health or feeling down, contact your local pharmacist, NHS 111 or your GP, who will all be able to offer advice and support. In an emergency dial 999.

When you are indoors, there are things you can do that will help to keep you warm and reduce the risk of developing medical problems, for example:

• try not to sit still for more than an hour or so
• if you find it difficult to move about, stretching your arms and legs can also help keep you warm
• if you have visitors, it can help stop the spread of germs to ventilate the room for a few minutes before and after they arrive; you might be more comfortable leaving the window open during their visit, if it’s not too cold

When out and about, wear shoes with good grip to avoid slips and falls on slippery or icy surfaces.

If bad weather is forecast, plan ahead and check that you’ve got enough medication and food in case it’s harder to leave the house. If you cannot leave the house, try to identify others who might be able to help pick up food and medication on your behalf. The NHS CARE Volunteer Responders scheme may be able to provide help for those who are eligible for support.

Other people around you, particularly older neighbours, family friends and neighbours, may need extra support during cold weather. To support others you can:

• keep in touch with them and ask whether they are feeling unwell, or whether they need any practical help
• if bad weather is forecast, see if they need any help stocking up on food and medication
• if you are worried about someone else’s health, contact your local pharmacist, your GP or NHS 111, who will all be able to offer advice and support
• if you think they may have hypothermia, contact NHS 111 for further assessment, and in an emergency dial 999; typical signs that someone may be suffering from hypothermia include shivering, slow breathing, tiredness or confusion, and pale, cold skin

Prepare your home

Longer term improvements to your house can greatly improve your comfort but can be expensive. You can check your energy performance certificate (EPC) if available for potential improvements and consider speaking to a professional depending on the kinds of changes that are suggested. Depending on what you can afford, options may include:

• regular servicing of your heating appliances can keep them working efficiently and for longer, saving you money
• insulation for water pipes to prevent them from freezing in cold weather
• loft insulation
• internal, cavity or external wall insulation
• double (or triple) window glazing

Find out more about eligibility for support with energy efficiency improvements through ‘Help to Heat’. If you need financial or energy efficiency support, you can contact your local authority to see what support is available in your area.

The Energy Saving Trust has tips on things you can do, including advice on more efficient ways to heat your home and improving insulation.

If you have mould or damp at home, find out what is causing mould or damp and how to address it. New guidance outlines what private and social rented landlords should do to respond to damp and mould and take preventative action.

It is important to make sure that household appliances are safe and working properly as demands on them during the winter are usually greater. To do this you can:

• have your heating and cooking appliances checked by a Gas Safe® registered engineer to make sure they are working safely
• have a carbon monoxide alarm (EN 50291 compliant) fitted
• have things like boiler flues and chimneys checked for blockages and cleared if necessary
• contact your water and power suppliers to see if you can be on the Priority Services Register, a free support service that helps people in vulnerable situations

Further information

For more advice on these support measures or about how to stay warm and well during cold weather, further information can be found on:

• the Met Office websites on how to get your home and property winter ready and keeping your home warm this winter
• GOV.UK website on help for households
• Age UK’s website or call 0800 169 6565 and quote ‘WINTER’
• the NHS England website how to stay well in winter