Cold weather causes more excess deaths in the UK than any other weather, mostly older people in homes they cannot afford to heat and people with heart and lung conditions. The UKHSA cold-health alerts now give days of warning, and the Met Office warns of snow and ice. The damage to homes is frozen and burst pipes. The damage to people is the cold itself.

18°CMinimum room temperature the NHS advises for vulnerable people
Yellow / Amber / RedUKHSA cold-health alert levels for England
StopcockFind it now; it stops a burst pipe flooding the house
105Power cut line; cuts rise in snow and ice

Before (autumn)

  • Boiler serviced; know how to reset it
  • Lag pipes in the loft, garage and outside walls; find the stopcock
  • Order repeat prescriptions so there is a buffer
  • Winter car kit in the boot, grit by the door
  • Blankets, hats, hot water bottles with the kit
  • Ask your energy supplier about winter support if money is tight

During

  • Heating on low and constant rather than off for long spells
  • Heat one room if you must choose; 18°C for anyone vulnerable
  • Layers, hot drinks, regular meals, keep moving
  • Check on older neighbours daily
  • Only essential travel in snow; walk carefully on ice, in boots
  • If the heating fails, use the warmth routine and ring an engineer

After

  • Thaw: watch for leaks as frozen pipes warm up
  • Check the outside taps and the garden for damage
  • Keep checking on people; cold deaths lag the cold

Keeping the home warm

  1. Heat the people, then the room, then the house

    Layers, hats and socks indoors are not a failure, they are efficient. Then heat one room well rather than the whole house badly. The light and warmth guide has the full routine for when there is no heating at all.

  2. Stop the draughts

    Draught excluders, closed curtains at dusk, a towel along the letterbox. Cheap, instant and the single biggest thing most homes can do.

  3. Keep the heating ticking over

    In a hard frost, a low constant setting prevents pipes freezing and costs less than reheating a cold house. Open the loft hatch slightly so warm air reaches the tank.

  4. Get help with the bills

    Energy suppliers have hardship schemes, the Priority Services Register, and winter payments. The Priority Services Register guide explains who qualifies; it is far more people than you would think.

Pipes and boilers

  • Find the stopcock now. Usually under the kitchen sink or where the mains enters. Turn it once to check it moves. Label it.
  • Lag exposed pipes in the loft, garage and against outside walls. Foam sleeves cost a few pounds.
  • Frozen pipe: turn off the stopcock, open the nearest tap, and warm the pipe gently with a hot water bottle or hairdryer from the tap end. Never a flame.
  • Burst pipe: stopcock off, taps open to drain, electrics off if water is anywhere near wiring, then a plumber. Collect water in anything to protect ceilings.
  • Boiler lockout in frost: almost always the condensate pipe outside has frozen. Warm water along it, reset, done. If not, check the pressure and ring an engineer.
  • Outside taps: isolate and drain them in autumn, or fit an insulated cover.

Getting about

In snow and ice the advice is simple: stay in if you can. If you must drive, the car kit guide covers preparation and what to do if stranded. If you must walk, wear boots with grip, take small steps, keep hands out of pockets so you can break a fall, and remember that the pavement in the shade will be ice at 3 p.m. when the road is clear. Grit your own path and your older neighbour's; a bag of rock salt is a few pounds.

Heating safely when the boiler fails

Never use a barbecue, camping stove, patio heater or generator indoors. Portable gas or paraffin heaters need a cracked window and a carbon monoxide alarm. An electric heater is safe but needs the power on and will not run from a power bank. The people who come to harm in cold snaps are usually improvising heat.

Who feels it most

Over-65s, babies, anyone with heart or lung disease, anyone who cannot move around much, and anyone whose home is poorly insulated or whose money has run out for the meter. The signs of a problem are a cold house, someone who seems unusually slow, confused or sleepy, and not enough food in. Knock daily during a cold-health alert. If someone is very cold and confused, warm them gradually and call 999. The neighbours guide is about setting this up before winter.

Common questions

How warm should a home be in winter?

The NHS advises heating the rooms you use to at least 18°C, particularly if you are over 65, have a health condition or there is a baby in the house. If you cannot afford that, heat one room and spend time there, and ask your energy supplier about the support available.

How do I stop pipes freezing?

Lag exposed pipes in lofts, garages and outside walls with foam insulation; it costs a few pounds a metre. Keep the heating on low constantly in very cold spells rather than off for long periods, leave the loft hatch open a crack so warm air reaches the tank, and drip a tap on the far end of an exposed run if a hard frost is forecast. Know where the stopcock is so you can shut off quickly if one bursts.

My boiler has stopped in the cold. What should I check?

The commonest cause is a frozen condensate pipe, the white plastic pipe that runs outside. Pour warm (not boiling) water along it, or hold a hot water bottle against it, then reset the boiler. If that is not it, check the pressure gauge and the power, then ring an engineer. Meanwhile, heat one room and use the warmth guide.

Should I drive in snow?

Only if you must. If so: a full tank, the car kit, winter screenwash, cleared windows and roof, a planned route on main roads, and someone told where you are going. Keep a steady low gear, leave ten times the usual gap, and if you get stuck, stay with the car.