Get the help you need to stay warm in Wakefield District this winter

As temperatures drop during the winter months, exposure to cold weather can affect anyone and increase our risk of ill-health. Keeping warm is one of the best ways we can stay well – and there are a number of teams and schemes across Wakefield District that can help.

Wakefield Council’s Energy Savers Scheme helps eligible households stay warm and save money with free cavity wall and loft insulation and, for qualifying private rented tenants, free gas central heating upgrades.

Better insulation and heating can improve levels of comfort, lead to better health outcomes and help reduce energy bills. The team focuses on households across our district that meet some specific criteria. If you know someone who could benefit, please share this opportunity with them.

The Energy Debt Fund scheme is also available via the Council’s Money Smart Team and is designed to help Wakefield residents struggling with energy bills.

The scheme can provide grant funding to those struggling to pay their energy bills or experiencing temporary financial hardship, ensuring they don’t have to choose between heating and eating.

This support is completely grant-funded and does not need to be repaid. Whether it’s for yourselves, family, neighbours, or friends, the team can offer expert advice and practical solutions. More information can be found on Wakefield Council’s Money Smart page.

There are also a number of small steps we can take to help increase the warmth of our homes over winter:

• Bleed radiators: Check your radiators are heating to the top. If they aren’t, the chances are you need to learn how to bleed them (releasing the trapped air at the top, with a radiator bleed key).
• Keep the pressure up on your boiler: The pressure gauge should read between 1 and 2, this is normally either on the front of your boiler or just underneath it. Normally there is a small tap under the boiler that when turned increases the pressure, and you turn it back off when at the right pressure.
• Clean your radiators: Use a hairdryer to blow the dust from in and behind radiators. This allows air to move more freely and makes your radiators more efficient at warming the room.
• Keep furniture away from radiators: Not blocking radiators with furniture will allow better air circulation, and will allow the heat to warm the room.
• Close curtains and blinds: As it turns dark, closing curtains and blinds reduces draughts and cold from windows.
• Reducing draughts: Make a cheap sausage dog to block draughts coming from under doors.
• Use the oven heat: Once dinner comes out of the oven, we all close the door again. But why waste that heat? Leave the oven door open and let the heat transfer slowly into your kitchen, it’ll help keep your house warm while you eat.

Outside the home, there are also a number of Warm Welcome Spaces across the District this winter.

These are free warm, safe places where you can enjoy a hot drink and friendly company.

Everyone has a right to be warm, so expect a warm welcome when you visit. Full details can be found on the Wakefield Council Warm Welcome Spaces page. You can find your nearest local warm welcome space online.