The Council and partner organisations have been given funding through the Department of Health to support vulnerable people during cold weather.
How we can help – our Winter Home Check Service
Our free Winter Home Check Service includes:
- a full assessment of your home to identify how to keep it warm
- small preventative works such as reducing drafts, improving insulation, clearing gutters, lagging pipes and clearing chimneys
- providing additional temporary heating.
Who can apply?
To be eligible for this service you need to fall into one of the following categories:
- a vulnerable adult over 16 years old
(a person can be vulnerable because of their age, learning or physical disability, mental health needs, if they are caring for someone else or misuse alcohol or drugs)
- disabled, or have someone in your household who is registered disabled
- a family with children on a low income
(by ‘low income' we mean people who get the benefits listed below).
You must also be receiving one of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Council tax
- housing benefit
- Working families/Child tax credit with income less than £16,040
- Job Seekers Allowance
- income based employment and support allowance, or
- joint claim Jobseekers Allowance.
You must of course live in East Sussex, and we can accept only one application per household.
Handyperson grant
In addition, if you are aged 65 or over, and have no more than £10,000 in savings you can also apply for a Handyperson grant of up to £200 to help with small maintenance or repair jobs around the home:
How to apply
Don't hesitate to contact us if you, or someone you know, could benefit from this help. Ask for the Winter Home Check Service or the Handyperson Grant:
Other schemes and grants
If you're not eligible for Winter Home Check or a Handy Person grant, see our main page on other local and national schemes, which includes information about cold weather payments, winter fuel payments and the Warm Front scheme:
East Sussex County Council