How are keeping warm?

We have the heating on. 6.00-9.30 and 16.00-10.00. Very occasionally we turn it on during the day, but very rarely. The thermostat is set at 18.5 centigrade.

I wear two layers plus thermal socks over thick tights. No throws, 'oodies' etc that so many people mention. All the curtains have thermal linings and they are drawn as soon as it starts to get dark. I am on the go all day, so very little sitting down feeling cold.

We do have an electric blanket on our bed, but that is a recent

theworriedwell

I couldn't have the heating on all night, I'd wake up with a migraine.

We don’t have heating in our loft bedroom just an electric blanket

I'm turning on the heating blow the expense!

HousePlantQueen

This is not meant to be goady:

We pay a direct debit to Octopus, and end up with quite a hefty credit when the winter hits, thus we can afford to have the heating on when we need. When this subject was discussed previously, a few posters railed at those of us who did this, calling us foolish for leaving a few hundred pounds in the energy companies' accounts, they said they paid bills for energy used.
I keep an eye on ours, and when it gets over £450 ish, I reduce our monthly dd, then put it up again in the spring to build up for the next winter.

Same here. I reckon by April, our credit will be reduced right down, but then I will have 7 months to build it up again. Works well, and I can relax.

Octopus as well

This is not meant to be goady:

We pay a direct debit to Octopus, and end up with quite a hefty credit when the winter hits, thus we can afford to have the heating on when we need. When this subject was discussed previously, a few posters railed at those of us who did this, calling us foolish for leaving a few hundred pounds in the energy companies' accounts, they said they paid bills for energy used.
I keep an eye on ours, and when it gets over £450 ish, I reduce our monthly dd, then put it up again in the spring to build up for the next winter.

Sorry, but that comes across as a bit smug when some of us are having to cope with temperatures below zero and not having the option to have the heating on all day!

Winter so far has been really mild. Two years ago when gas prices tripled I was miserably cold all winter. My monthly payment now, (averaged over the year) is very affordable and I’m certainly not suffering from loss of the winter fuel allowance.
This country is broke and I voted Labour to get our public services back. I’m not complaining about the steps necessary to do that.
Turn your thermostats down and feel virtuous.

I couldn't have the heating on all night, I'd wake up with a migraine.

I’m lucky that I can have the heating on whenever I need it and I got a heated throw for Christmas. I also have a small dog that loves to snuggle against me so we share body heat.
Have to get out several times a day and have an arsenal of boots, scarves, gloves etc at the ready.

We too keep our heating on 24/7, on very low evenings and nights when we are in bed, then higher in the mornings and afternoons

MissInterpreted

Can't afford to have the heating on, so I wear my Oodie hooded blanket most of the day, but I have to admit that one day last night, my feet and hands were so cold they were almost painful. Temperatures here have been below zero for the past few days.

There’s a hot water bottle on Amazon which I bought for my DM, it has furry feet attached that you slip your feet into and although she had the heating on pretty high due to mobility issues she barely moved and her poor hands and feet got so cold. We did look into heated muffs and gloves for her hands.

We have a heated throw, it’s marvellous.

crazyH

Jeanathorne - I read somewhere that is better to keep heating on constant rather than turning it on and off. Don’t know if it’s true. That’s what I tell myself anyway. My heating is on all the time.

If you let the house get cold then when you do turn the heat on you have to warm up the walls first. So it’s better to leave the heating on low all the time. Depending on the build materials you could also get condensation problems if you keep on letting the walls get cold then heating them up again. I am sure this is discussed on MSE.

Norah

theworriedwell

The problem is wherever they set the cut off there will be someone who is £5 above that figure who will feel aggrieved.

We saw an old friend of DHs who was moaning about it. He has SRP plus a full police pension plus his wife's pension. They must be on over £40k a year with £250k in savings so interest is probably another £10k a year plus he has DLA but I don't know what that's worth and he's worried they might have to dip into their savings so his two kids will only inherit the house worth £500k. Why should tax payers be protecting their inheritance?

Tax payers shouldn't be protecting peoples savings. People should, in a society well run, be able to afford what they need. I doubt removing or limiting WFP is at all helpful. Less costly system and paperwork -- just give it to everyone and let those who don't need or want it give it back or to charity.

It wasn't even costing a really significant amount of money..
It was ill thought out and will have consequences for the LP.. who I think will make some good policies in future if they take their time..

theworriedwell

The problem is wherever they set the cut off there will be someone who is £5 above that figure who will feel aggrieved.

We saw an old friend of DHs who was moaning about it. He has SRP plus a full police pension plus his wife's pension. They must be on over £40k a year with £250k in savings so interest is probably another £10k a year plus he has DLA but I don't know what that's worth and he's worried they might have to dip into their savings so his two kids will only inherit the house worth £500k. Why should tax payers be protecting their inheritance?

Tax payers shouldn't be protecting peoples savings. People should, in a society well run, be able to afford what they need. I doubt removing or limiting WFP is at all helpful. Less costly system and paperwork -- just give it to everyone and let those who don't need or want it give it back or to charity.

Thanks Jeanathome. Generally I try not to think about it

theworriedwell

Thanks henetha. Unfortunately husband is disabled and a hoarder, I fight to keep the chaos confined, and he can't or won't face the upheaval of moving. I'm trapped. I knew I wanted to move not long after we moved here over 20 years ago but the kids had settled and were in good schools so I felt trapped then.

Really feel for you with that set of circumstances.

The problem is wherever they set the cut off there will be someone who is £5 above that figure who will feel aggrieved.

We saw an old friend of DHs who was moaning about it. He has SRP plus a full police pension plus his wife's pension. They must be on over £40k a year with £250k in savings so interest is probably another £10k a year plus he has DLA but I don't know what that's worth and he's worried they might have to dip into their savings so his two kids will only inherit the house worth £500k. Why should tax payers be protecting their inheritance?

MissInterpreted

petra

MissInterpreted

Can't afford to have the heating on, so I wear my Oodie hooded blanket most of the day, but I have to admit that one day last night, my feet and hands were so cold they were almost painful. Temperatures here have been below zero for the past few days.

MissInterpreted
Please please put the heating on ( and stick a finger to the power company)
Having gone into a hyperthermia state I know how dangerous it is. You stop feeing cold. In fact you feel lovely and tired.
I was fortunate that someone was with me.
Please….put…..it……on.

It's fine, honestly. We're a hardy bunch up here north of the border! I grew up in this house when we used to have ice on the inside of the windows for months on end, and no heating apart from one small gas fire, so at least we don't have that to cope with now.

I agree with Petra..

Please put on some heating and try to keep the ambient temperature above 18.. no matter how hardy you are it just isn't pleasant to be so cold!!

Oldwoman70

Like others on here I am lucky that I can have my heating on whenever I want - I do have a reserve built up with my supplier over the year, but think that will quickly diminish - my smart meter shows I was "over budget" by 8.30 this morning! My thought are for those who are not in my position, who can't put on the heating. There was a couple on TV the other night who are £5 above the cut off for pension credit, they have no idea how they are going to keep warm. Starmer and Reeves should be ashamed of themselves.

(Don't) Keir Starmer and Robber Reeves don't know or care about shame: they'll be turning up the central heating as they congratulate each other on how much of the fabled 22bn "Black Hole" is being plugged by the numbers of frozen pensioners who are shuffling off this mortal coil due to hypothermia-related conditions.

I could never believe the Labour Party would be so deliberately pernicious......but I can now.

LovesBach

The heating is on and to hell with it - I'll deal with the consequences later, but at my age I refuse to be shivering in my own home. I'm also quite happy eating porridge for every meal if I have to. Of course I may have to if Octopus send a terrifying bill...

Me too, I am very lucky in that I have a buffer built up with my energy provider and a wood burner that adds warmth when needed.
Years of living in a very old, dilapidated farmhouse with no central heating taught me how to manage with what you have, wearing layers etc. and I have no intention of returning to wearing more clothes in bed than what most people wear during the day!

petra

MissInterpreted

Can't afford to have the heating on, so I wear my Oodie hooded blanket most of the day, but I have to admit that one day last night, my feet and hands were so cold they were almost painful. Temperatures here have been below zero for the past few days.

MissInterpreted
Please please put the heating on ( and stick a finger to the power company)
Having gone into a hyperthermia state I know how dangerous it is. You stop feeing cold. In fact you feel lovely and tired.
I was fortunate that someone was with me.
Please….put…..it……on.

It's fine, honestly. We're a hardy bunch up here north of the border! I grew up in this house when we used to have ice on the inside of the windows for months on end, and no heating apart from one small gas fire, so at least we don't have that to cope with now.

theworriedwell

I grew up in a big city and miss it. My husband isn't white and wouldn't be an issue back home but it is here. Kids moved away after uni for better opportunities and I'd like to be closer to them.

I'm still shocked when I hear this Worriedwell..and I feel for you
I was chatting recently to a young black girl who was telling me that she experienced racism in Brighton (of all places) when she was at school and work here.. She has now found work in London.. it's so entrenched around the country

MissInterpreted

Can't afford to have the heating on, so I wear my Oodie hooded blanket most of the day, but I have to admit that one day last night, my feet and hands were so cold they were almost painful. Temperatures here have been below zero for the past few days.

MissInterpreted
Please please put the heating on ( and stick a finger to the power company)
Having gone into a hyperthermia state I know how dangerous it is. You stop feeing cold. In fact you feel lovely and tired.
I was fortunate that someone was with me.
Please….put…..it……on.

LovesBach - that’s the way !!

Quite a bit of snow in the night so brrr. Alexa says it will be 10° later.

My heating is off and last night the oven wouldn't work and it tripped something and the power went off. Could do without another repair bill.