Weather and Health Information

Cold weather

Cold weather can affect your health. Find out how to keep yourself and your loved ones warm during winter here.

LEAFLET - We're here to help you stay well this winter

Keeping warm over the winter months can help to prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression.

Heat your home to a temperature that's comfortable for you. If you can, this should be at least 18°C in the rooms that you regularly use, such as your living room and bedroom. This is particularly important if you have a health condition. It's best to keep your bedroom windows closed at night.

Seasonal vaccinations (for example flu vaccination) are offered to many people. Find out more here.

Cold homes

If you have a cold home, this can lead to damp, which is can be challenging to deatl with, especially during the winter months. People with conditions such as asthma and COPD, as well as older adults and young children, are particularly vulnerable.

Advice on dealing with a cold or damp home can be found at: https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/damp-mould-and-cold-homes and through the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

B&NES Energy at Home service can help with advice on a range of home energy topics, including offering grants to those living in fuel poverty.

If you are struggling to pay your heating bills, support and advice is available via the Citizens Advice.

If you need support dealing with a landlord you can contact the B&NES Housing Safety Improvement Team who can help with safety issues including disrepair and damp: 01225 396444.

Check your heating and cooking appliances are safe. Contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to make sure they're working properly. You can find an engineer from the Gas Safe Register.

Make sure your home is fire safe. For fire safety advice specific to you and your home, visit Home Fire Safety Check.

Hot weather and heatwaves

Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. During heatwaves, more people than usual get seriously ill.

A heatwave can affect anyone, but the more vulnerable people include older people, babies, people with serious or long-term health conditions, and people who are on multiple medicines that may make them more likely to be badly affected by hot weather.

Find out how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe during hot weather here and here.

Most medicines should be kept below 25°C, so they should be stored somewhere cool, dry, out of direct sunlight and away from windowsills. Medicines should only be stored in the fridge if specified.

If you are worried about your health during a heat wave, especially if you are taking medication, or if you feel unwell or have any unusual symptoms, seek advice by contacting the surgery or NHS 111 if out of hours. Remember heatstroke can kill. It can develop very suddenly and rapidly lead to unconsciousness, if you suspect someone has heatstroke call 999 immediately.

Advice for adults and children on sunscreen and sun safety in the UK and abroad can be found here.

Stay safe when swimming

Swimming pools, rivers, lakes, or the sea can be a fun way to cool down when the weather is hot, however summer months are also associated with an increase in drowning accidents.

You can find information on safe summer swimming from the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS).