What is Warm & Well?

If you are not able to keep your home warm enough in winter, this can be bad for your health.

Some people are more vulnerable than others, especially the elderly or very young and anyone who suffers from health problems affected by the cold.

These include:

 asthma and other respiratory illness
heart disease
strokes

It may be possible to improve your situation by insulating your home or improving your heating system.

Warm and Well is a project that has been set up to help people in Gloucestershire keep their homes warm, comfortable and healthy.

What Can Warm & Well do for you?

This is what we will do:

 Send you a home energy questionnaire.
When you complete and return the questionnaire we will send you an advice report, telling you what can be done to make your particular home easier to warm.
If you agree and are on benefit or a pensioner with limited resources, we will refer you for a grant for free energy saving measures. (Savings and income limits apply)
If you are able to pay for the work yourself , we will help you get it done at a discounted price by a registered contractor.
We will give you further advice , if you need it, by phone or by visiting you at home.

 

How is Energy Efficiency good for your health?

A home that is too cold can increase the risk of:

 Respiratory (breathing ) illness: Thought to be more likely at below 16 C (61 F). Typical examples are secondary infections to colds or 'flu', including bronchitis and pneumonia. Asthma is a common respiratory illness.
Heart attacks and strokes: at temperatures below 12 C (54 F) it has been found that there is an increased risk of heart attack or stroke in vulnerable people.
Hypothermia: can occur if a vulnerable person (particularly the elderly or the very young) is exposed to a temperature of less then 9 C (43 F) for two hours or more.

Overheating can increase the risk of:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Babies can overheat because of too much bedding or clothing , or because the room is too hot.

How warm should my house be?
24-27 C (75-80 F) HOT - reduce heat but stay warm. Babies may overheat
21 C (70 F) IDEAL living room temperature
18 C (65 F) COMFORTABLE house temperature
15 C (60 F) DISCOMFORT and risk of repiratory illness
12 C (55 F) TOO COLD - increased risk of heart attack and strokes in vulnerable people
9 C (50F) RISK of hypothermia below this temperature

What should you do next?

For more information about Warm and Well, or to apply for a grant telephone 0800 512 012 or email [email protected].

Please note if you have already been referred to the scheme by a health professional you do not need to contact the Warm and Well team.

You can also download a Warm and Well case study by clicking here.

 

To read the phase two report for Warm & Well Click here for Warm & Well Report or on the appropiate links below for an pilot phase area specific report.
Warm & Well Report - Stroud District Council
Warm & Well Report - South Gloucestershire Council
Warm & Well Report - Tewksbury District Council
Some documents require a PDF reader. Click on the icon to the right to download Adobe Acrobat Reader Click here to download Acrobat Reader
The Warm & Well scheme is run by the Gloucestershire Energy Efficiency Advice Center on behalf of Cotswold District Council, Gloucester City Council, Forest of Dean District Council, Stroud District Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and Tewksbury Borough Council and is supported by the Energy Saving Trust.
Residents of Cheltenham can access relevant information from the Cheltenham Borough Council website by clicking on the logo on the right.