David Reynolds, 69, lives in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
Three years ago he gave up his full-time job as a coach driver to become the primary carer for his mother, 94. With his elderly mother staying inside every day, David was worried about how he would afford to pay for the extra cost in their energy bills.
He said: “My Mother is very frail and it’s important that she keeps warm. Before I took on the role of her carer I was working full time, so during the day the heating was switched off. Now as her full time carer, both of us are in the house during the day. My mother also has to wake up during the night and walk around to move her legs, so the heating must remain on overnight too, meaning we’re using a lot more energy. I was concerned about how I’d be able to afford this and talked to an Age UK representative at my local carers association, who suggested I call the Home Heat Helpline.
“The Home Heat Helpline advisor I spoke with was very helpful and told me that I was eligible for the Warm Home Discount – which will knock over £100 off my next heating bill. He talked me through how to apply, and soon after I sent off my form I received a letter confirming that my application had been successful. The grant will be a real help for me and my mother, and it means I no longer have to worry about keeping us warm during the colder months.
“The Home Heat Helpline’s ‘Energy Help for You’ was also full of useful tips on how to lower energy bills. Simple things like making sure you only use the washing machine when there’s a full load, turning off lights when you’re not using them and not overfilling the kettle go a long way.”
For more testimonies, you can read each case study of the other people we’ve helped.