Keeping the heat on

The cost of energy bills is the single biggest worry I hear about from readers right now. So let’s zip through the options.

If you receive certain benefits, then you may qualify for automatic Winter Heating Payments. This is £55.05 this year.

Don’t shiver in slience – if you don’t qualify for benefits but are struggling your bills, your energy firm is required to come up with tailored plans to help (Picture: stock.adobe.com)

Older people born before 25 September 1957 could get between £250 and £600 to towards heating bills. This is the a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’ and is paid automatically.

The other automatic payment for most people on certain benefits or Government support are the cost-of-living payments. These payments vary depending on your personal situation and where you live – but if you haven’t had the money through, contact the official body that pays your standard benefits for help.

If you don’t qualify for benefits but are struggling with the bills, your energy firm is required to come up with tailored plans to help you get by. Type ‘financial difficulties / Ofgem’ in to a search engine to get a full list of the help available.

Broken pipes and boilers

Sometimes your energy system packs in at the worst possible time. Broken pipes and wonky boilers can be very distressing when it’s cold. Home emergency cover or even your home insurance might help you with a broken pipe, but only if the pipe is on your property. If not, then the problem becomes the responsibility for whoever is in charge of the damaged section.

It makes sense to check your policy at this time of year before something goes wrong. But if it’s too late, then make it clear how urgent the situation is to your insurer – or a contractor if you’re not insured for home emergencies.

If water is pouring down the walls, you have no heating or you are older or more vulnerable, then it really is an emergency and your insurer or contractor should treat the situation as such. If it’s not as urgent, run a few checks before you call anyone out. Look for a damaged thermostat or a boiler that simply needs re-boosting.

Not all cold weather problems involve boilers or pipes. Heavy snowfall can damage the structure of your property. Sometimes, if the structure was a bit run down then the insurer might say the claim is as a result of ‘wear and tear’ and turn it down. If you don’t think this is fair, make a complaint and go to the free Financial Ombudsman.

Keep an eye on your car

If you’re hitting the road when it’s cold, then bear in mind that both the police and breakdown recovery firms have issued warnings about people not cleaning their windows of snow or frost properly. This could affect any claims you make for roadside assistance or damage to your vehicle if something goes wrong.

At this time of year, it’s much more common for thieves – opportunistic or otherwise – to pinch vehicles while your keys are in the ignition and you’ve popped inside while warming the car.

‘Keys in car’ thefts occur outside the home, shops, post boxes, by cash machines, even at petrol stations. Many insurance claims get turned down on the grounds that you’ve left your car unattended. However, it’s down to the insurer to prove that the car was left unlocked and unattended, so if you had taken precautions, or you don’t think you’ve been treated fairly, make a complaint.

Watch those prezzies

Depressingly, this is also the time of year when thieves know you are likely to have lots of presents in your car or around the Christmas tree. Don’t leave items on display in your car. And if you’ve got some expensive items under the tree, keep them out of sight until the last minute. You can also tell your insurer that you’ve got a few pricey gifts kicking about so they can confirm if they are covered under your existing policy limits.

Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist. Visit martynjamesexpert.co.uk.

What to watch out for when the temperature drops - Martyn James

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