You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
![Councillor Peter Gould](/image-library/peter-gould-ws-hr-1.xb6cb8b20.jpg?width=470&height=256&fit=crop&quality=75&format=webp)
You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
Being prepared for Winter Matters. We have brought together a range of tips and advice to support you and your family, as well as information to keep you up to date with what is happening in Suffolk this winter.
The Cost of living is a big issue for people in Suffolk right now.
We have a range of advice for households, businesses and charitable organisations as well as ways people can offer support.
A directory of Cost of Living Support in Suffolk can be found on Suffolk Infolink.
Visit our Cost of Living Support page to find out more.
Suffolk County Council offers financial support for those experiencing financial hardship, through the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme.
This could mean you are struggling to afford the basics, such as food, heating, clothing and fuel, or to pay your household bills.
To find out whether you are eligible for support and to make an application, please visit the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme webpage.
The Warm Homes Suffolk programme helps Suffolk residents to make it cheaper to heat their homes through various energy efficiency measures
Specific support is available through Warm Homes Suffolk for pre-payment meter customers.
Pre-payment meter customers who would like support with their energy bills can contact prepay@eastsuffolk.gov.uk to find out more, or call Prepay West 07769 365796 or Prepay East 07769 366229.
The support covers the whole of Suffolk and is available for all residents, whether they are in social housing, council tenants, owner occupiers or private renters. Find out more about pre-pay energy meter support.
Although rising prices may prompt many of us to look for a good deal this winter, this should not be at the expense of safety.
Online auction sites or social media marketplaces can be rife with counterfeit goods or products that don’t meet the UK’s stringent safety laws. These often haven’t been properly tested and could pose a serious risk of fire, serious injury or even death.
Buying from reputable retailers will help to keep you safe and remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Find out how to keep yourself and your loved ones free from Scams this winter. Visit Suffolk Trading Standards Be scam aware webpage.
Follow Suffolk County Council's Trading Standards on social media to see the most up to date advice and scams circulating.
Please report scams to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or via their online reporting service. If you have lost money or given a scammer your financial details, contact your bank immediately.
Forward scam text messages to 7726.
Send scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk
Discover ways you can reduce and re-use your waste, at Suffolk Recycling.
Find your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre and its opening times.
Contact your Local Council about Bin collections.
Food Savvy offers advice to help you reduce your food waste and save money!
You can also follow Food Savvy Suffolk social media channels where we will be sharing top tips, handy hints and recipe ideas.
Twitter: FoodSavvySfk
Facebook: FoodSavvySfk
The winter season for Suffolk Highways runs from 1 October to 30 April.
Follow @suff_highways on Twitter for regular updates during winter.
For further information:
We work with:
Winter weather can deteriorate fast, making driving hazardous. Suffolk Police advise motorists to:
When parking on roads, please park considerately and leave enough room so that our vehicles can grit the road.
Whilst flu and Covid are unpleasant for most people, they can be dangerous and even life-threatening for those with certain health conditions. Vaccinations are our best defence against severe illness this winter. Get vaccinated against Covid-19 and seasonal flu.
The flu vaccine is available for free to those who are 65 and over (including those who will be 65 by 31 March 2024), frontline health and social care workers, carers, people who are in a clinical risk group, pregnant women and those who have or live with someone with a weakened immune system.
Children can also get a nasal spray flu vaccine free on the NHS if they are:
If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years and has a long-term health condition that makes them at higher risk from flu, they'll be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
This is because the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2 years old.
To book your flu vaccine, contact Contact your GP, pharmacist or midwife.
Find out more at nhs.uk
The following groups of people are now eligible to receive an autumn Covid-19 booster vaccination:
Visit www.sneevaccine.org.uk to book your appointment for a Covid booster or find a walk-in clinic.
If you have a positive COVID-19 test result you should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your positive test, even if you have no symptoms.
You should avoid meeting people at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 for 10 days after the day you took your test. See the full guidance on what to do if you test positive for COVID-19.
Tips for staying warm in your home:
Warm Homes Suffolk helps vulnerable people and families make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat. The service can help in several ways:
For advice on keeping warm and well this winter, call the Age UK's Winter Warmth Advice Line free on 0800 678 1602, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, or textphone 0800 085 7857.
For more general information, see Age UK's Spread the Warmth campaign.
Icy roads and snow can often mean that older or more vulnerable people are not able to get out and about.
If you have an elderly, vulnerable neighbour or a relative, please look out for them in the winter months. They may need help with shopping, clearing paths, walking a dog or to see a friendly face.
Check to see if the curtains are not opened during the day, or there are no lights on in the evening, as there may be something wrong.
Try knocking on the door to see if there's an answer. If not, contact a relative or friend who you think may have a key.
If you have concerns about somebody who you have not seen for a while and you have not been able to contact them, get in touch with your local police force on 101.
If you have immediate concerns around your own health or welfare, or somebody else's, please call 999.
If you feel that yourself, or somebody you know, is struggling to maintain their personal care, then there may be support from adult care services.
Anyone can clear snow and ice from the pavement outside their home or public spaces to prevent slips and falls.
Do not be put off clearing paths because you're afraid someone will get injured. Remember, people walking on snow and ice have a responsibility to be careful themselves.
The government gives advice about clearing snow from a road, path or cycleway.