Winter Wellness

Flu and COVID-19 are common at this time of year. The best way to protect against both illnesses for yourself and your family is to have the flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

It is safe to have the flu and COVID-19 vaccinations at the same time or close together. If you are not yet eligible for your booster yet, you should not wait get you

Flu
The flu vaccines is updated every year to fight the latest version of the illness, so it is important you have this year’s vaccine even if you had the flu jab last year.

The NHS flu vaccine is free for many people. Find out more on the NHS website.

For more information about the flu vaccine including for children or pregnant women visit Newham Council's website.

If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccine, you may be able to purchase one from your local pharmacy.

COVID-19

People who are at high risk from COVID-19, or live with/care for people who are at high risk are able to get a COVID-19 vaccine this winter.

The vaccines are free for everyone who is eligible, and only available through the NHS.

To find out if you’re eligible and to book your vaccine on the NHS website.

If you are travelling outside the UK, you may need to get vaccinated against certain diseases found in other parts of the world.

Vaccinations are available to protect you against many travel-related infections, such as yellow fever, typhoid, and hepatitis A.

In the UK, the NHS routine immunisation (vaccination) schedule protects you against a number of diseases, but it does not cover all of the infectious diseases found overseas.

If you feel unwell, speak to your pharmacist for advice. Your local pharmacist can provide advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats and general aches and pains. Find out more about Pharmacies.

If symptoms suggest it's something more serious, pharmacists have the right training to make sure you get the help you need. For example, they will tell you if you need to see a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional.

You can also contact your GP about ongoing health complications and symptoms. If you need more advice or help, you can call NHS 111 or visit the NHS website for details of local services.

If you have a medical emergency (difficulty breathing, chest pain or an accident), call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department. Find out more about what to do in an emergency.
 

Staying warm at home

If you are worried about your energy bills going up, not heating your home properly could cause you to get cold-related illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

A cold home could affect your health. One of the best ways of keeping yourself well during winter is to stay warm.

Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression.

The chances of these problems are higher if you are vulnerable to cold-related illnesses because:  

• You are over 65  
• You are on a low income (so can't afford heating)  
• You have a long-term health condition such as heart, lung or kidney disease  
• You are disabled

Top Tips to Stay Warm at Home
One of the best ways to stay well during winter is to keep warm at home.

Here are our top tips:

• Make sure you are receiving any benefits you are entitled to such as the Warm Home Discount, the Cold Weather Payment and the Winter Fuel Payment
• Draw your curtains in the evening, keep doors closed and block out draughts
• Wear several light layers of warm clothes (instead of one chunky layer)
• Stay active in your home
• Wrap up warm and wear shoes with good grip if you need to go outside
• Try to keep your bedroom at 18°C (65°F) and main living room at 21°C (70°F)

You can make sure your home is ready for winter by:

• Insulating your hot water cylinder
• Getting a Gas Safe Registered engineer to check your boiler to make sure it is safe and working properly
• Checking your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working and electric fires are properly guarded

For more information on staying warm this winter and fuel poverty, you can read our flyer.

If you are a professional supporting residents who are living in a cold home and may not be able to afford to hear their home, please read the Fuel Poverty Information Pack for Practitioners.

Staying warm in Newham

Newham Council has teamed up with the Cadent Foundation and the Renewal Programme to bring Groundwork's Green Doctors support to Newham Residents.

What Support is available?

• Help understanding your Energy Bill  
• Expert Energy saving Advice 
• Personalised advice on financial support and funding to improve your property available 
• Help with grant applications 
• Follow up call 2 months later 
• Home visits with free small measures installed (such as draft excluding tape and low energy bulbs)

Who is eligible?
When someone in the household is living with: 

• A disability 
• Low Income 
• Debt 
• Physical health issues 
• Mental Health Issues 
• In emergency accommodation 
• Poor housing conditions 
• In receipt of benefits 

If you are unsure whether you are eligible complete the eligibility form or visit the team at the Renewal Programme.

How to access support?

Apply Online:
Apply online for a call to check what support if available for you

This form can also be completed on behalf of someone else, with their permission

In-Person Support:
The Green Doctors will also be available at Renewal Programme – 395 High Street North, E12 6PG from 11am- 1pm every Tuesday!

Contact the Renewal Programme:
Stay Warm in Newham - The Renewal Programme.
Info@renewalprogramme.org.uk
02084716954 

Warm Havens 

From 4 November 2024, all of our libraries will have extended opening hours to become Warm Havens, providing safe, non-judgemental, warm spaces during the cold winter months.

As well as a warm welcome and hot drinks, libraries also offer:

• free access to computer
• free access to Wi-Fi
•  a busy schedule of regular activities to suit all ages and interests, from parent and toddler sessions, coffee mornings, code clubs, digital skills sessions, chess, knitting and much more. Click here to find activities in your library.

To find a warm haven near you, please visit www.newham.gov.uk/warmhavens

Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.

If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.

Cold Weather Payment

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits when your local temperature is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days.

Find out more about the Cold Weather Payment.

Winter Fuel Payment

If you were born before 23 September 1958 you could get either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2024 to 2025. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’. You may be eligible if you or your partner get certain benefits.

You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

Find out more about the Winter Fuel Payment.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a scheme offering energy-saving improvements to eligible households. The purpose of this scheme is to help tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions. The scheme intends to achieve this by improving the energy efficiency of homes of residents deemed to be on a low income, fuel poor and vulnerable.

Register your interest for your own home, to get involved as an energy champion in your neighbourhood or to partner with us in your community.

You can also register your interest by emailing futurefithomes@repowering.org.uk or calling 020 3674 7519.

You may be able to get help with the cost of insulation work, for example to your loft or cavity walls replacing or repairing your boiler - or other upgrades to your heating.

The work offered can depend on the supplier used.

Contact a participating energy supplier to see if you qualify. The supplier does not need to be your energy supplier.

You can find contact details of suppliers who are taking part in the scheme on the Ofgem website.

Free vitamin D for residents 60+

Vitamin D helps keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. People who don’t have enough vitamin D are more likely to fall or break bones.

A good source of vitamin D is sunlight. It is also found in some foods. However, it can be hard to get enough vitamin D so doctors recommend taking vitamin D supplements (tablets) to keep healthy.

Newham residents aged 60 or over are eligible for free vitamin D supplements to help you stay healthy.

To find out how you can get your free vitamin D supplements, call 020 8981 7124 or find out more on our webpage.

Free supplements for pregnant women, new mothers and young children

All pregnant women, new mothers and children under the age of 4 years can access free vitamins.

Healthy Start vitamins are free regardless of family income or immigration status and has been funded by Public Health Newham.

Find out how you can get your free supplements on our webpage.

In the winter months, getting active outdoors is less appealing. Even if you are spending more time at home, there is no reason staying at home means you have to stay still.

We have a range of activities taking place across the borough for those looking to venture outdoors. Find out more on our keeping active page.

We have also collected a range of resources to help you stay active at home too. Find out more on our keeping active at home page.

Don’t forget our leisure centres remain open, so why not try out the huge range of activities on offer.

Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions.  They are very common, affecting about 1 in every 4 people in Britain in any given year.  The majority of people who experience mental health problems can work through them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on.

Your mental health doesn't always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life.

Good Thinking is an online platform that supports Londoners to look after their mental health and wellbeing in a way that works for them. Over 700,000 people have used the platform to tackle anxiety, stress, low mood, sleep problems and other mental health worries. Visit their platform for online advice and support.

The council is providing a range of services and advice to residents to support them during the current challenges with the cost of living.

To find out more including about financial support/advice available, warm havens and warm meals visit our Cost of Living Response page.