Advice needed about emergency heating for OAP

HappyMJ

CharlieBilly wrote: »

I would still get a 2nd opinion. Also bare in mind while electric heaters will do its horrendously expensive and her electric bill may go through the roof. I know she has to keep warm its imperative but she might get a nasty surprise electric bill in Feb/March

It's not that expensive. I have electric heating and it is not that expensive. An old boiler is 65% efficient and an electric radiator is 100% efficient. A gas boiler heats up the entire house and an electric heater just heats one room. Although the per unit rate is 3 times higher most people tend to use much less so it ends up just being a little higher.

Yolina

HappyMJ wrote: »

An old boiler is 65% efficient and an electric radiator is 100% efficient.

Depends on the boiler - mine's over 20 years old and is rated in the SEDBUK database at 78%

A gas boiler heats up the entire house and an electric heater just heats one room.

You just turn radiators down or off as needed depending on which rooms you want heated

OP, as others have said, get some electric heaters for now and get at least another couple of people in for an opinion.

daggy

CharlieBilly wrote: »

I would still get a 2nd opinion. Also bare in mind while electric heaters will do its horrendously expensive and her electric bill may go through the roof. I know she has to keep warm its imperative but she might get a nasty surprise electric bill in Feb/March

Probably cheaper and less surprising than a funeral though, no? I'm being facetious... you do make a fair point really.

OP, this will sound daft, but get her some heaters, a few hot water bottles, possibly an electric blanket. Also, there's always a hat and warm clothes.

I don't know much about what's available so far as help for boilers etc. Definitely get a second and third quote, also don't even mention what the original plumber diagnosed - you don't want to lead them to a conclusion

I wonder if she could get a community care grant

You can apply for a Community Care Grant if you are either:

• already getting Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit, or payment on account of one of these benefits
  
• likely to start getting one of these benefits within the next six weeks because you're moving out of care

These criteria may apply:

• you need help to stay in your home and not go into residential care or hospital
  
• you need help because you and your family face exceptional pressure, such as family breakdown or because one of you has a long-term illness
  

Or you could apply for a Crisis Loan for her, these parts may apply:

You can apply for a Crisis Loan if you:

• don't have enough money to meet your (or your family's) immediate short term needs in an emergency or as the result of a disaster
  
• think there will be serious damage or risk to your (or your family's) health or safety without the loan

A Crisis Loan can also help if either of the following applies:

• you have suffered a disaster like a fire or flood that has caused a lot of damage and you need help to meet other expenses like replacing household items and clothing

HTH

jenza8

Thanks. She's got a couple of electric heaters and after making phone calls today, age uk have said they can supply 1 or 2 more. They've also put me in touch with a group in Leeds called care and repair who've said that she can apply for health through warmth (she had bad arthritis) and they'll look for other funding from charitable organisations to cover more of the cost. Apparently that can be sorted much quicker than warm front so is better in emergencies. Although the heating can be sorted short term with the electric heaters, the lack of hot water is more of a concern. She's v unsteady on her feet and the thought of her carrying the kettle around to fill the bath and to try to do washing up fills me with horror! Fingers crossed we will get good news on the health through warmth scheme. Thought I'd mention it on here so that anyone else going through the same can see if it would work for them. It's not just for the elderly - it's for anyone with a health condition affected by the cold e.g. Diabetes.

pinkteapot

HappyMJ wrote: »

It's not that expensive. I have electric heating and it is not that expensive.

I used to think the same in my electrically heated 2-bed flat (no gas to the property).

I'm now in a 4-bed detached house and our monthly bill for gas and electricity combined is the same as our electricity bill in the better insulated 2-bed flat. :eek:

It's off on a tangent I know but I would agree with the warnings to OP re the cost of electric heating. I suspect that for a house that's normally heated by gas, if you suddenly start heating with electricit instead then you would see an increase in cost. It's still going to be far preferable to no heating but it's something to be aware of to avoid shocks when the bill arrives.

jenza8

Jackofalltradez wrote: »

She needs to look at the options, if she's not prepared to help herself, then no one will be prepared to accommodate her in this time of need.

She's not really in a state mentally to be prepared to help herself. We're trying our best but with no power of attorney we can't make her do anything financially that she doesn't want to. She doesn't have snything of value to sell and would not understand the idea of releasing equity from her house. we've only just managed to persuade her to sign the forms so she gets attendance allowance and that's money coming in for her.

googler

keystone wrote: »

She needs an independent second opinion and then a third. Only then can you start to make judgements about the system as is. Fin.

Cheers

Second and third opinions from heating engineers, not plumbers, possibly.....

jenza8

googler wrote: »

Second and third opinions from heating engineers, not plumbers, possibly.....

Thanks. The health through warmth scheme will be sending out an engineer so that should give us a more accurate picture.

flowers2veg

Just to let you know what happened with us re warm front, we had same situation with Dads heating just over 2 years ago and they are only just this week putting in a new heating system he has been without heating and hot water all this time even though we were constantly on the phone to them they gave us many promises and failed to deliver even though my Dad is very ill with COPD so the cold severely affects his health. we have been paying his high electric bills for fan heaters for two years now. We also had to pay warmfront £855 excess in order to get the work done. Having said all this by Friday he will have full central heating. I would also try you local council there may be a decent housing grant your Mum can get, but be warned its not easy, I wish you luck with this and try to remember that this was only our experience it may work out better for you.

jenza8

flowers2veg wrote: »

Just to let you know what happened with us re warm front, we had same situation with Dads heating just over 2 years ago and they are only just this week putting in a new heating system he has been without heating and hot water all this time even though we were constantly on the phone to them they gave us many promises and failed to deliver even though my Dad is very ill with COPD so the cold severely affects his health. we have been paying his high electric bills for fan heaters for two years now. We also had to pay warmfront £855 excess in order to get the work done. Having said all this by Friday he will have full central heating. I would also try you local council there may be a decent housing grant your Mum can get, but be warned its not easy, I wish you luck with this and try to remember that this was only our experience it may work out better for you.

Thank you for that. I'm really glad you've finally got your dad's heating sorted (almost)! What a nightmare it must have been for him and you. How has he managed for hot water?

After lots of phone calls today, our best option seems to be trying the health through warmth scheme. Will update when we get more news on that!