Looking for extra support this winter? Our partners may be able to help

As temperatures plummet across the UK, many of us are turning up the heat, layering up, and hunkering down to weather the cold snap. But for some, staying warm isn’t just about comfort—it’s a matter of survival.

While the National Emergencies Trust is not currently launching a nationwide appeal for the adverse weather, we’re closely monitoring the situation and highlighting the support that is already available to people across the UK from our national and local partners.

Below you can find out about the different types of support on offer available this winter from our charitable partners, as well as how you can understand what government help you may be eligible for.

Support from our local charitable partners

Community foundations across the UK are providing funds for groups and charities tackling issues that can be felt even more acutely during the colder months, including financial hardship, fuel poverty, flood damage, loneliness and food poverty. Some of these grants are also being made directly to individuals to provide immediate relief. Below are some of the initiatives from community foundations. You can also visit the UK Community Foundations website (opens in a new tab) to find out about available funding from your local foundation, or make a contribution to vital causes in your area.

Cumbria Community Foundation’s Winter Warmth Fund provides grants to vulnerable older people to help heat their homes, ensuring they don’t have to choose between eating and heating. Grants of up to £300 are awarded based on eligibility criteria. Find out how to apply on the Winter Warmth Fund page (opens in a new tab).

Cumbria Community Foundation also helps fund Warm Spots across the county – a network of places where people can go to keep warm and socialise. Find out more about the Warm Spots Fund (opens in a new tab).

The East End Community Foundation is distributing 1,500 winter care packages to vulnerable elderly people via its voluntary sector network and funding partner. The packages contain food cupboard essentials as well as an electric blanket and heat pack. Find out more about the East End Community Foundation’s winter appeal (opens in a new tab).

Herefordshire Community Foundation currently has two programmes open to support individuals and community groups impacted by cold weather in the winter months. The Community Warm Spaces Fund offers grants of up to £2,000 to community groups to heat community spaces and support food projects. The Household Support Fund offers grants of up to £500 to help vulnerable households with fuel bills and essential household appliances. Find out more and apply on the Household Support Fund page (opens in a new tab).

Point North is running Welcome Spaces for the third year in County Durham. The fund is offering grants to groups in County Durham to help offer people a free, warm and welcoming space during winter. Find out more about Point North’s Welcome Spaces fund (opens in a new tab).

Poverty is now a reality for many families in Milton Keynes, with more than 1 in 3 children affected. MK Community Foundation’s Cost-of-Living appeal aims to help local charities and community groups manage increasing expenses, ensuring they can continue providing essential services to vulnerable residents, such as helping with heating costs during winter. As the cost of living rises, the operating costs for charities supporting the most affected members of our community also increase. Find out more at Invisible Poverty MK (opens in a new tab).

Norfolk Community Foundation has funded 79 local community groups to offer Community Hot-Spots. Last winter, more than 2,000 individuals benefited from these Hot-Spots each week. These warm and welcoming spaces offer residents a refuge from the cold and wider access to essential support services if they need them. Find out more about Norfolk Community Foundation’s Community Hot-Spots (opens in a new tab).

Now in its 14th year, Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s Warm this Winter appeal has so far raised more than £267,000. The Warm this Winter Fund awards grants to charities and community organisations working to tackle fuel poverty and help vulnerable pensioners on a low income.

Recent grants awarded from this fund have enabled one local charity to run electric blanket testing and replacement sessions and fit 100 smoke detectors in the homes of older residents, while another has provided safe, warm activity sessions for those on low incomes. Find out more about the Warm this Winter appeal (opens in a new tab).

Quartet is the community foundation for the West of England, directing local giving to charitable organisations in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Its Surviving Winter appeal offers support to local charitable organisations who are helping older people and the vulnerable, including families facing fuel poverty, as well as isolation and financial pressures this winter. Find out more in Quartet’s newsletter on supporting older people (opens in a new tab).

Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter campaign offers support to older and vulnerable people across the county. Working with partners it provides fuel grants, and advice and guidance to those in fuel poverty. This includes practical information on keeping homes warm, recommendations for boiler replacements, working with energy companies to manage energy bill debt and income maximisation through identifying and helping to claim benefits. Find out more about Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter campaign (opens in a new tab).

Support from our national charitable partners

British Red Cross Emergency Response teams are standing by across the UK to support communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from severe weather this winter. They work in conjunction with local authorities, emergency services and other voluntary sector organisations and, at their request, can deploy trained, vetted and equipped volunteers to offer practical and emotional support to people facing the impacts of severe weather. The British Red Cross website also offers a host of resources to help people build resilience to the impact of severe winter weather through preparation and education, personal preparations (opens in a new tab), secondary school classroom resources (opens in a new tab) and online first aid training (opens in a new tab).

This winter, the “Boost Your Bank” programme has provided a much-needed lifeline to UK foodbanks, baby banks, clothing banks, and charitable organisations. Crowdfunder continues to help secure crucial donations and additional funding for these vital services including warm hubs. Organisations are connecting with match funders, such as the Aviva Community Fund, to ensure their support reaches those most in need. Organisations can share their stories and apply for match funding, with donations potentially doubling or tripling, offering hope during difficult times. Find out more about Boost Your Bank on Crowdfunder (opens in a new tab).

Cruse helps thousands of people each year with advice and emotional support, when they’ve experienced the death of someone close. They recognise that winter can be a particularly isolating time for bereaved people. If you do find yourself grieving over the winter period, and need to connect, please take a look at Cruse’s website (opens in a new tab), where you can find information about how to cope through grief. You can also find on the website details of their social media activity and how to access their National Helpline, on 0808-808-1677.

Friends, Families and Travellers' is supporting individuals and families with issues and inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people. Their helpline is open Monday to Friday, 10am - 4.30pm offering advice. You can call the helpline on 01273 234 777 and find more information about the organisation and support on offer on the Friends, Families and Travellers website (opens in a new tab).

Nationally, Mind offers resources and a helpline (0300 123 3393) available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm for support with mental health, local help, treatment options and advocacy services. In South West England and Wales it is also providing tailored information, advice, and support, helping individuals build confidence to manage the financial impact of the cost of living crisis, which in colder weather includes the cost of heating their homes. Find your local Mind (opens in a new tab), or visit Mind’s Cost of Living Hub (opens in a new tab), for more information.

REACT Disaster Response offers critical support during Severe Weather Emergency Protocol activation, delivering scalable assistance within hours. Their highly trained teams of volunteer Responders do whatever it takes to enhance situational awareness, incident management, and outreach efforts, including helping to locate and engage with the hidden homeless population. The charity provides staffing for shelters, ensuring vulnerable individuals are safe and cared for, and can bolster overall management capacity during prolonged weather events. With expertise in disaster response, the team adapts quickly to evolving needs, ensuring effective coordination and assistance. For professional support when it matters most, call 0300 330 9488 or email operations@re-act.org.uk (opens in a new tab)

This winter, Refugee Council is working with refugees and people seeking asylum to stay warm, safe and nourished during the cold snap. For refugees facing homelessness, they are providing specialist casework to help them find a stable place to call home. They are also working with local community groups to distribute warm winter clothing and food vouchers. For people seeking asylum who are destitute, they are supporting them off the streets and into temporary shelter so they can stay safe and out of the cold. At their London Destitution Service, they are providing warm meals, shower and laundry facilities, and winter care packs. Find out more on the Refugee Council website (opens in a new tab).

Shelter are continuing to support people with housing and homelessness issues. Their emergency helpline can be reached on 0808 800 4444 and is for people who are homeless, are worried about losing their home in the next two months or are at risk of harm or abuse in their home or whilst homeless. They have also published information on their website (opens in a new tab) on how rough sleepers can access emergency accommodation during winter.

Understand what government support you may be eligible for

You may be eligible for financial support from the government this winter. Here are some of the ways you can find out about the support you may be entitled to:

Pension Credit Calculator: If you're of pension age, use the Pension Credit Calculator (opens in a new tab) on GOV.UK. You’ll need information about your income, savings, and investments. It will estimate if you qualify and how much you could receive.

Benefits Calculator: Tools like Turn2Us (opens in a new tab) or EntitledTo (opens in a new tab) can help you identify benefits you may qualify for, including winter-related support.

Winter Fuel Payment: This is automatically provided to most eligible pensioners. If you're not sure, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre (opens in a new tab).

Cold Weather Payment: If you receive certain benefits, you might get an extra payment during long cold spells. Payments are automatic, but you can check your eligibility on GOV.UK (opens in a new tab).

Local council support: Your local council may offer additional schemes, such as Warm Hubs or community spaces, emergency heating support, and advice and grants for home insulation or energy efficiency improvements. Check your council’s website or contact them directly.

For top tips on staying warm and safe this winter, read our blog, Six tips for staying safe and warm in cold weather.

Stay warm, stay safe, and let’s support each other this winter.