How to survive the cold weather when you’re struggling to pay your bills

It has been a particularly cold start to 2026. The weather has been biting and much of the UK has been hit by bursts of snow.

Not only is it painful to go outside and be faced with a frosty chill, but it also means a more costly January with people putting their heating on for more hours of the day.

Some of you might be tempted to keep your heating turned off to save on bills, but that could be dangerous, particularly if you are elderly, have any underlying health conditions or you have a child in your home.

It also increases the chances of damp and mould in your home, which can cause further issues for your health.

Read more:

• Energy bills are rising in January. What do I do if I can’t afford to pay?
• Disabled families use foil blankets to keep warm as energy bills keep surging: ‘We have to keep going’
• Energy bills being more than £1,700 a year is not normal – we need government intervention

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Winter is tough for many older people, especially those who are struggling with the cost of living and who are cutting back on their heating as a result. Living in a cold home is bad for older people’s health, especially if they are frail or are living with lung or heart conditions.  The consequences for them could be very severe and we fear we’ll see more older people going to hospital this winter as a result – the last thing they or the NHS needs.”

There is help out there if you are struggling to afford the cost of living in the depths of winter. The Big Issue breaks down some of the support which is available to you.

Ask your energy supplier for help – they’re legally obligated to support you if you are struggling

Your energy supplier is legally obligated to help if you are struggling to pay your heating and electricity bills, and many suppliers have special grants and schemes to support low-income households and those who are struggling with debt to pay those bills. 

Matt Copeland, head of policy at National Energy Action, said: “This is the toughest time of the year for households already struggling with the cost of energy, who now need to use so much more energy to stay warm. If you’re finding it difficult, please contact your energy supplier because they are obligated by the energy regulator to find ways to help you.”

British Gas, Scottish Power, EDF, E.ON and Octopus all have some form of scheme and grant. You can read about more of those schemes in our explainer on where to get money if you are struggling to afford your energy bills here.

Reach out to your supplier or check their website to see if they offer a grant or fund for low-income customers – or you could think about switching suppliers.

Reach out to charities and organisations which can support you to pay your bills

National Energy Action’s website has resources that can help with everything from energy saving tips, debt advice, dealing with damp and condensation and more.

You could also speak to your local Citizens Advice services and your local authority because, as well as helping you, they can also point you to other charities and organisations that can provide assistance.

You might be eligible for a charitable grant. You can find out what grants might be available to you using Turn2Us’ grant search. The charity helps people to access grants and support services if they’re in financial difficulty. If you contact them, they’ll check what’s available to you. 

Glasspool gives small grants for things like white goods, beds, bedding, children’s clothing and baby needs. For most charitable grants, you need to get a referral from a professional like a social worker, health professional, school or advice service.

Family Action provides practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation across the country. You could also contact a recognised debt advice agency such as Step Change Debt Charity or the Debt Advice Foundation for advice if you are struggling with debt.

Lightning Reach has a “one stop portal” to finding help. It pulls together support from a range of sources into one place – aiming to save users time as well as uncovering potentially hidden pots of money. Users enter their information, including postcode and biographical details, and then are told what support is on offer.

Find a warm space near you to get out of the cold

If you’re finding that your home is too cold and you can’t afford to put on your heating, there might well be a warm space open in the community near you. Warm Welcome has a virtual map of warm spaces, making it much easier to find one. All you need to do is type in your postcode and you’ll be able to find any warm spaces registered with the campaign in your area. 

Another way to find a warm bank near you is to look on your local council’s website or contact it directly. Even if it is not running a warm bank itself, it should be able to direct you to a charity or other community organisation which is offering support.

Find out if you could get benefits to help with the cost of living this winter

You may be eligible for benefits and welfare support. If you’re not sure where to start, Citizens Advice offers information and services to help people and they can advise you as to what financial support is available from the government to help you. 

You could be entitled to benefits and tax credits if you are working or unemployed, sick or disabled, a parent, a young person, an older person or a veteran. You can use Turn2Us’ benefits calculator to find out what benefits you are entitled to claim. 

Abrahams, of Age UK, said: “One thing people can do to help themselves is to check whether they’re claiming all the financial support to which they’re entitled.  Some benefits are means tested but not all, so it’s always worth checking. Pension credit is the main pensioner benefit that tops up people’s income and links them to other financial support, including help with energy costs, so it’s never been more important to check whether you are eligible.

“Many people often think if you have some savings or a small pension there’s no point applying but that’s often not the case.  The sooner people act, the sooner they will find out if they are entitled to additional financial help, which could be life-changing for them.”

Age UK is urging anyone who’s struggling financially and worried about extra costs this winter to contact Age UK on 0800 169 6565 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk/benefits for support. The advice line is open 365 days a year from 8am to 7pm. Local Age UKs also offer tailored services and support. You can find your nearest Age UK service in your area here. 

There are also specific benefits you can get through winter to help with your energy bills – including the winter fuel payment, cold weather payment and winter heating payment in Scotland.

Cold weather payment

Triggered if the temperature is zero degrees or below for seven days in a row, you’re eligible for cold weather payments if you’re on certain benefits. 

These are paid out between November 1 and March 31 and total £25 for each seven-day period where the criteria are met.

More information can be found here, with those eligible receiving it automatically. If you do not receive it, contact the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus.

Winter fuel payment

All pensioners in England and Wales with an income of or below £35,000 a year will receive the winter fuel payment in the winter of 2025/2026, after the government extended the eligibility to the majority of pensioners.

It means than three quarters of all pensioners will receive the winter fuel payment – worth £100 to £300 – to help them cover the cost of their energy bills. Most people will have been paid in November or December. Find out if you are eligible and what to do if you haven’t received your payment.

Winter heating payment

Scotland’s winter heating payment of £59.75 is paid from December. Eligible households will get the payment automatically. There’s also a child winter heating payment of £255.80 to help disabled children.

Where to get a winter coat if you can’t afford to buy one

There are charities which offer people winter coats if they can’t afford one. Wrap Up distributes donated coats to homeless shelters, refugee centres, organisations supporting the elderly, women’s refuges, children’s centres and other charities.

One Warm Coat similarly distributes coats through its large network of local charities. Coats4Kids provides vouchers to primary schools to give to families in need. We Relove has coat collection points for donated coats in a number of locations in Scotland and one in Leeds.

It’s worth contacting your council or Citizens Advice who will be able to refer you on to a charity which might be able to help.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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