Helping older people stay safe and well at home

During the winter months, many older people face tough decisions about whether to keep their home warm or pay for other essentials, such as food and rent. We're helping older people who are in or at risk of fuel poverty through our Warm Homes Programme.

The effects of cold homes on health

As the weather gets colder, chest infections and increased blood pressure are more common. In some cases, this can put older people at a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. This is why it’s really important that they're able to heat their homes to a comfortable temperature.

What is fuel poverty?

Fuel poverty is when someone can't afford to heat their home properly. Research indicates the key factors that contribute towards fuel poverty are:

• high fuel costs
• low income
• poor energy efficiency in the home.

Through Benefit Entitlement Checks and Home Energy Checks, Age UK is addressing these fuel poverty factors to help older people keep warm and well in the winter.

Our approach: Warm Homes

Age UK receives funding from energy suppliers through Ofgem’s industry initiative. In turn, Age UK funds local partners across England and Wales, who deliver the Warm Homes programme in their local area.

Our Warm Homes programme targets the most vulnerable and fuel poor older people. To be classed as ‘in or at risk of fuel poverty’ an older person must be over 65 years of age and at least one of the following:

• on a low income (means-tested benefits or on an income below £19,980 per annum)
• have a long-term health condition
• live in a ‘hard to heat home’.

The Warm Homes programme helps in 3 key ways:

1. Benefit Entitlement Checks

• 

  We help older people apply for the benefits they are entitled to through Benefit Entitlement Checks. Maximising income lessens the financial burden and stress of paying energy bills when the weather is cold.
• In 2023/24, our local partners identified over £59 million of unclaimed benefits for nearly 14,000 older people. This worked out on average as over £4,200 per year for each older person who had a Benefit Entitlement Check.

2. Home Energy Checks

A Home Energy Check includes:

• an assessment of the home to see where small measures can be installed to keep older people warmer and save money
• energy advice and practical tips to help keep fuel bills down.

A trusted handyperson will visit an older person’s home to check how efficient it is. The handyperson fits appropriate equipment to increase the energy and thermal efficiency in the home. This includes things like energy saving light bulbs, draught excluders, and reflective radiator panels

3. Providing advice

As part of our Benefit Entitlement Checks and Home Energy Checks, local partners will also:

• provide advice on keeping warm and saving energy
• offer free Age UK information guides that may be useful
• refer older people to local services you may find helpful.

What are people saying about the programme?

Past programmes

Warm and Well

The Warm and Well programme helped older people maximise their income, improve energy efficiency and stay warm. Support came through benefit advice sessions and support in completing benefit claim forms.

Find out more about the programme