New Year cost of living/winter wellness update
Cost of living information leaflet
We’ve produced a handy A5-sized leaflet providing information about the support and advice available to help residents with the cost of living crisis, depending on their personal situation.
The leaflet has two functions:
- Information for frontline staff so they are more aware of what’s available for their clients and can help them with it.
- Information for residents that can either be left by frontline staff or may be handed out elsewhere, including via the NHS.
We continue to update our cost of living web pages with all the latest help and support for residents who are struggling with the ever-rising cost of living: https://beta.iow.gov.uk/keep-the-island-safe/cost-of-living/
The website includes a section dedicated to Warm Spaces on the Island. There are more than 50 locations listed with more being added regularly via our online form.
Grants to help Island communities in need
Community and voluntary organisations, as well as town, parish and community councils, can apply for grants that will help them support those in need in their communities.
A total of £240,000 has been made available to support local initiatives helping to provide vulnerable families with food, utilities and keeping warm.
The deadline for applying for a community grant is 1 March 2023.
Organisations wishing to find out more should go to the connect4communities website for the full guidance and application form.
A social media graphic is attached to this email for your use.
Check what government support is available
The Help for Households website has information about many different types of support, including:
- Energy saving tips
- Support with energy bills
- Help with childcare
- Transport costs
- Discounts and offers
The government’s energy saving campaign, ‘It All Adds Up’, recommends actions to help households save money on their energy bills and includes:
- reducing the temperature a boiler heats water to before it is sent to radiators from 75⁰C to 60⁰C, which will not reduce the temperature of your home but could save around £100 annually.
- turning appliances off at the plug, which could save approximately £70 per year.
- reducing heating loss from the property by putting draught excluders around doors or by adding clear film across windows, which could save around £60 a year.
Further information, is available here: https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/energy-saving-advice/
A useful social media graphic is attached to this email and further videos designed for social media are available to download here: https://beis.frontify.com/d/f24KLVRnDJFP/energy-saving-campaign
Free maths courses
Multiply is a new government-funded programme that offers easy access to free numeracy courses and initiatives.
The courses can help you brush up your maths skills and help you become more confident with numbers, whether you need help in managing your bills, budgeting or you want to improve your potential at work.
If you’re aged 19+ and do not already have a GCSE at grade C (or equivalent) in maths, Multiply is available to you.
Courses and workshops are now available via our Adults Community Learning Service at various locations across the Island.
For more information, visit: https://beta.iow.gov.uk/adult-community-learning/new-courses/multiply-free-maths-courses/
COVID-19/Flu update
Health and care services are experiencing a challenging winter and are now seeing significant pressures on health services including high levels of hospital admissions from flu. Flu and COVID-19 can be life threatening.
It’s important that you get vaccinated as soon as you can. Getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid catching these viruses and so spreading them to your loved ones.
It takes just a few minutes, and will help protect against severe illness, getting you back on your feet sooner during the difficult winter period.
COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines are recommended for those at higher risk of illness:
- everyone over 50
- pregnant women
- those with certain underlying health conditions
- care-home residents
- front-line health and social care workers
Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19, is available here.
For more information on the flu vaccine, click here.
To get a booster dose of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, click here.
Scarlet Fever/if your child is unwell
COVID-19, flu, scarlet fever and other respiratory viruses are currently circulating at high levels.
If your child is unwell and has a fever, please keep them at home away from school or nursery until they feel better, and their fever has resolved.
It is important to encourage your children to regularly hand wash and remind them to catch their coughs and sneezes in a tissue — or an elbow if tissues aren’t available.
Flu vaccines are available for eligible children and young people.
Further advice and information, is available here.
Information on the children’s flu vaccine can be found here.
2023/24 budget consultation
Last month the council launched its annual 2023/24 budget consultation.
We want to hear from all residents about how we should spend our budget this year.
Please help us promote the consultation in your communities by directing people to this website: https://www.iow.gov.uk/Council/OtherServices/Financial-Management/Budget-Consultation
Alternatively, people can also send their comments to: budget@iow.gov.uk
