Are you claiming your dues?
It really does only seem like yesterday that we were chatting about heat waves and water shortages, doesn’t it? Those heady days of Summer, with 40 degree temperatures, and nights that weren’t so much cooler, seem like not that long ago at all. Yet here we are, talking about a cost of living crisis and ‘heating or eating’. The temperatures so far have stayed mercifully mild for the time of year which has given us all some respite on the fuel bills front, but inevitably colder days are coming and for older people living alone, the worries about domestic bills soaring over the coming months will be niggling away already.
Winter is always a more expensive time of year when it comes to domestic bills. Heating and cooking costs go up as we try to stay warm and switch our diet to hearty meals that take longer to cook. And this year we’re all feeling the need to keep on top of those higher energy costs.
Are you getting the money you’re entitled to?
Over 8 million pensioner households across the UK will receive an extra £300 cost of living payment in 2023-24 to help with these rising bills. The Department of Work and Pensions has said that it will provide details of when this money will be paid out ‘in due course’, so look out for that. Importantly, the money will be tax-free and won’t impact on any other benefit payments that people receive. People on non-means tested disability payments will also get an extra £150 in 2023-24. A pensioner who is also eligible for these disability payments will get both additional payments.
These extra payments are of course good news, but it’s also worth having a look to make sure you receive all the payments you’re entitled to more generally. If you’re an older person living alone, or you have a relative who is it could well be worth your time to go through what’s being claimed and what you – or they – might also be able to receive.
The DWP believes that there are around a million pensioners not claiming their full entitlement. Organisations such as Age UK offer great advice on how you can look into ensuring you’re getting all you’re entitled to
Don’t feel you need to be alone
And just because bills are going up don’t feel you need to hide yourself away! Quite the opposite – a warm room provides heating for more than one person, a meal for two isn’t that much more cooking than a meal for one. Visiting friends, and having them over to you, can be a good way of sharing heating and cooking costs, and it provides much needed human contact on these short days.
Visiting your community centre for activities classes is also a good way to get out the house, avoid the heating costs, and making new friends. If you have a centre that runs arts and crafts classes all the better! You could end up wowing the family with self-made presents this year at Christmas time…..
The C word
Which brings us onto Christmas. Again, it seems early to be mentioning it (although the shops have been stocking mince pies for weeks – but we can moan about that in a separate blog. Bah humbug) – but don’t fret about the upcoming festivities and all the entailed cost they bring. Everyone is in the same boat this year and the focus for 2022 is very much on a cost-conscious, scaled back season.
If you’re worried about money, mention it to your friends and family – maybe you could agree on cost limits for presents and club together on bulk buys to save some cash. You could also broach who is having Christmas lunch with who to share the burden of the year’s most important meal. Therein lay family disputes of legend however, so we’ll leave that one to you.
How StackCare can help
And just a note from us about how StackCare can help you control your bills this winter. Our temperature monitoring feature really does come into its own when the weather turns cold. You can use it to keep track of your house temperature, as can your friends and loved ones who are discreetly keeping an eye on you through the remote monitoring app. Quickly turning down the temperature on a house that’s too hot, too much, can make a real difference to energy use.
It’s also useful for monitoring activity levels – the temptation to all-but hibernate is very real, but won’t do you any good.
Our AI enabled technology could well be a real friend as we all seek to keep the bills down.
Above all, don’t fret about the bills – as well as your friends and family, there are professionals out there who can help – have a look at AgeUk and Citizens Advice for starters, and ask your GP or parish council for any locally targeted initiatives. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find out!
