Emergencies

We can all play our part to protect ourselves and those around us.

The NHS website has lots of useful tips on staying well, looking after your mental health, season advice and more. There is also lots of local information, which includes GP practices, pharmacies and where to go for urgent care. To find out more, visit: Health advice this winter.

Illness and injury

During the winter, people are at more risk of injury or illness. Cold weather also increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, lung illnesses, flu, hypothermia and other diseases. So, it is never too soon to get prepared.

• If you have prescription medicines make sure you have a stock in. Do not forget COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) inhalers or asthma preventer inhalers, in particular for children.
• Do not go outside in severe weather unless you have to, instead try to keep active indoors. If you do need to go out, wrap up warm and wear sturdy, non-slip footwear.
• Keep an eye on elderly friends and neighbours. For more about this, visit: Spread the warmth (Age UK).

Stay strong with winter vaccines

If you get vaccinated, it helps keep you and your loved ones safe. It reduces your risk of serious illness, being in hospital and passing on illness to others.

Each year thousands of older adults, people with certain health conditions and children under 5 need hospital care for:

• flu;
• COVID-19;
• RSV;
• and other illnesses that can be prevented.

Sadly, every winter thousands of people die. The risk from these viruses is greater during winter when they circulate most as people spend more time indoors. To protect yourself, friends and family from these, get vaccinated, even if you have been vaccinated before.

You should have the flu and COVID-19 vaccine if you:

• Are aged 65 and over or you will be 65 by 31st March 2025.
• Have certain health conditions.
• Are pregnant.
• Are a frontline health or social care worker.
• Live in a care home for older adults.

The flu vaccine is also available for:

• Other care home residents;
• carers;
• and people who live with someone who has a weakened immune system.

Children aged 2 to 17 can get the children's flu vaccine. Some children with certain health conditions can get the COVID-19 vaccine.

RSV vaccine

You should have this if you are:

• Pregnant. The vaccine is recommended during pregnancy from 28 weeks onwards. This helps to protect your baby after they are born.
• Aged 75 to 79.

Note: Do not wait to be contacted to get vaccinated, speak to your community pharmacy team, GP practice or midwife.

For more about the above or how to book COVID-19 and Flu vaccines, visit: Winter vaccinations and winter health (NHS).

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Think Pharmacy First

Pharmacists are trained healthcare professionals. They can help with minor illnesses like coughs, colds, sore throats, itchy eyes, earache and tummy trouble.

• No appointment is needed and they can offer a fast and convenient service.
• You can also speak to them in private.

Most can offer prescription medicine for some conditions, which is called Pharmacy First, such as:

• Impetigo (aged 1 year and over).
• Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over).
• Earache (aged 1 to 17 years).
• Sore throat (aged 5 years and over).
• Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over).
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years).
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over).

If you are not within these age ranges:

• A pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self-care treatment with 'over the counter' medicines.
• Although, you may need to see a GP for treatment.

There are over 40 community pharmacies in Calderdale and most are open evenings and weekends.

Do not wait for minor issues to get worse – think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team.

For more information, visit: How pharmacies can help.

Get to the help you need – Use 111

If you need urgent medical help but you are not sure where to go, use NHS 111. They will assess you and direct you to the right place.

NHS 111 is an easy and convenient way to get urgent help for a wide range of health problems. It could even save you a trip to A&E.

• Phone: 111 (24 hours a day, seven days a week).
  • If needed, ask for a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic.
  • If you need help in another People ask for an interpreter.
  • Text relay users can phone: 18001 111.
• Website: NHS 111.
  • British Sign Language (BSL) users can access the interpreter service via the website.
• Use the NHS App.

Mental health

Looking after your wellbeing this winter

If you or a loved one, need help with your mental health help is available. You do not need to have used mental health services before.

In autumn and winter, the days are shorter, colder and wetter, which can affect our mood and mental well-being.

• If you leave the house for 30 minutes a day, it can really improve your mood and sleep.
• For advice on how to keep mentally well, visit: Every Mind Matters (NHS).

If you experience low mood and mild/moderate mental health issues, our libraries have a range of self-help books.

To find a book of your choice, see: Health and Reading Well.

NHS talking therapies

Feelings of stress, low mood, worry, anxiety and depression can affect us all.

• This can help people aged over 18 with common mental health problems.
• Support is available in person, by video, over the phone or online.

To refer yourself, visit: NHS talking therapies.

24-hour mental health support

• Phone NHS 111 (select the mental health option). A confidential service to help adults in a crisis.

Night Owls

Night Owls is a confidential overnight listening and advice service line available every day. 8pm -8am. It is for children, young people, their parents and carers who live in Calderdale.

If you have a concern about the emotional wellbeing of a young person you care for, contact Night Owls:

• Phone: 0800 1488 244 (free).
• Text: 07984 376 950 (charges may apply).
• Chat: Night Owls confidential helpline.

Night Owls can help if you:

• Feel you have nowhere to turn.
• Feel you cannot go on living.
• Are in a crisis.
• Find it hard to cope with life.
• Feel angry, lonely, anxious or depressed.
• Feel confused or finding it hard to think straight.
• Feel unsafe.
• Care for a young person.
• Just want to talk.

More help and advice

• Stay Well This Winter (NHS). This gives more information on what you can do to stay well. There is lots of valuable advice on how to protect your health in the cold. This includes advice on where to go for help. If you are not sure which NHS service you need, phone: 111. An adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms. They will then give you advice or direct you to the best service in your area.
• Making you our priority (Northern Powergrid). Priority Services Register (PSR), sign-up with the energy companies for extra care in a power cut.
• How cold weather affects your health (Met Office). Information on how the cold weather affects your health.

For more useful winter advice, visit: Seasonal Advice (Met Office).

• Wear layers of clothes to trap warm air and wrap up warm in bed.
• Eat at least one hot meal a day. Also, drink plenty of fluids (not alcohol), in particular hot drinks like tea, coffee or hot squash.
• Keep your feet warm with rugs and slippers.
• The floor can be the coldest place in the house, so put your feet up.
• Use a blanket or duvet to keep warm whilst watching TV.
• Safely use a hot water bottle.
• Walk or exercise to keep warm. For some great tips, visit: Active Calderdale.
• Heat your home (or at least the rooms you use often) to 18 degrees Centigrade.
• Close your bedroom windows at night during cold weather. If they have trickle vents, keep these open to ventilate your home and avoid condensation.
• Close your curtains at dusk and keep internal doors closed to block out draughts.

Staying Warm Safely

Portable heaters

• Make sure there are no trailing wires.
• Do not dry or air clothes on them.
• Do not place them near anything combustible, such as soft furnishings and curtains.

Hot water bottles

• The shelf life for these is around 2 to 3 years.
  • After this, the material can degrade and cause it to leak or burst.
  • You can find the year it was made on the neck, inside the daisy wheel.
• Fill them with hot, but not boiling water up to three quarters full. Expel any air before you put the cap on.

Electric blankets

• Do not use them if you are using a hot water bottle.
• Follow the user instructions and check them for damage regularly.

Many more people are struggling this year with the increases in the cost of living. We offer lots of practical advice and information on what support there is if you need help:

• Are you claiming your Pension Credit?
• Can you claim Carers' Allowance?
• Money and Wellbeing in Calderdale.

Our Healthy Homes service can help our residents with:

• empty homes;
• essential housing repairs;
• and energy efficiency.

“Helping to make homes warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to heat.”

To find out more about this, please see: Healthy Homes Service.

Purchase heating oil supplies

• Householders who rely on heating oil are urged to stock up in the autumn period. Prices tend to be lower and suppliers can deliver quicker.
• Do you know anyone who uses heating oil? Please pass this information on to assist them in being prepared in the event of another severe winter.
• For details of oil-buying groups, visit: Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE).
• Our Housing Energy Action Team (HEAT) can help owner occupiers and tenants in privately rented properties. If you need to make your home warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to heat, please see: Energy efficiency.

Food and other preparations

• Keep food cupboards well stocked.
• Make sure you have enough animal food to last several days.
• Make sure you have enough money on your electric and gas meters and keep a torch somewhere handy.
• As far as possible stock up on animal feed! Deliveries may not be able to get through for several days if the worst snow hits.
• Listen to the weather forecasts or visit: Severe weather warnings (Met Office).
• There are a number of tasks you can do to prepare your home, garden or business from the winter weather. For more details, visit: Your home (Met Office).
• Check up on elderly relatives and neighbours. Offer assistance when needed, such as clear paths, move bins or collect essential food or prescriptions.

Be prepared for floods

Help protect yourself and your home from floods by being prepared. For advice and information and how to sign up for alerts/warnings, visit: Eye on Calderdale.

If you see flooding or a potential risk of flooding, report it.

Affordable warmth

This is a household's ability to heat their home to the minimum standard, which is 18 degrees Centigrade. To find out how we can help, see: Healthy Homes Service.

Also see our cost of living page for support available: Money and Wellbeing in Calderdale.

Healthy Homes - housing standards

We are taking part in a research project with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). MHCLG are interested in the quality of private rented sector homes and the wellbeing of people who live in them.

Damp and mould is a major issue in older heat inefficient homes, in particular in the private rented sector. This can cause ill health for those that live in them.

If you have an issue with your private rented property and your landlord will not fix it, please report it.

For more about this, please see: Damp and mould.

For Government guidance and advice, visit: Damp and mould in the home.

For tips to make sure you clear snow and ice safely, visit: The Snow Code (Met Office).

Always dial 999 in a life threatening emergency.

Public safety non-emergency police service:

• Visit: westyorkshire.police.co.uk
• Phone: 101.

Health and wellbeing

• Minor injuries or urgent medical care when your GP practice or community
  is pharmacy is closed, visit 111.nhs.uk or dial 111.
• For details about local services visit togetherwe-can.com

• Safeguarding concerns - Multi Agency Screening Team (children) 01422
393336, Gateway to Care (adults) 01422 393000, out of hours Emergency Duty Team 01422 288000

For local updates during an emergency 
• Visit www.calderdale.gov.uk and search emergencies
• @Calderdale on X (Twitter)
• Calderdale Council on Facebook

Utilities • Power cuts: call 105 to report or visit northernpowergrid.com • Water supply: visit yorkshirewater.com

Weather

For weather warnings

• visit: Met Office.

For flooding

• Visit: Eye on Calderdale.
• Phone: 0345 988 1188.

To report flooding

For rivers:

• Phone: 0345 988 1188.

For surface water:

• See: Report flooding on the road.
• Phone (01422) 288002. Out of hours, please phone: (01422) 2888000.

Highways

Please see:

• Winter service and gritting.
• Request gully cleansing.

Roads and transport

•  Visit: AA Traffic news.

Public transport

• Visit: WYMetro.

At times it is not safe to make a journey, so stay at home.

• If you must travel:
  • Be prepared for all weather conditions and plan your route accordingly.
  • Get your vehicle serviced and carry an emergency kit in the boot.
• Visibility is reduced at night, when it is snowy and when there is freezing fog.
  • Pedestrians should wear highly visible clothing and carry a torch.
  • For more about winter driving and home safety, visit: ROSPA.
• Avoid driving through flood water.
  • Just 30 cms of fast flowing water is enough to move your car!

• Snow.

  • If your car is covered with snow, make sure you remove it all before you set off.
  • In snow and severe winter conditions, plan your route carefully. Stick to the main roads and valley bottoms.

  For more about this, visit: Driving through ice and snow (GOV.UK)

• Check tyres. Make sure they have good tread and enough air in them.
• Check your antifreeze, screenwash and oil levels.

• When you cycle in the winter months, it is important to:

  Stay safe;

  • be bright;
  • be seen;
  • maintain your bike;
  • and keep warm.

  For more about this, please visit: Winter cycle tips.

For more about when and where we grit, please see:

• Winter service and gritting.

We try to keep the most important roads safe and as free as possible from wintry hazards.

• To do this we have 22 routes, which cover over 600 Km of the Calderdale road network. (This is around 67% of the total.)
• It is not possible to grit every road. So, there are over 600 salt bins at key points for residents, motorists and pedestrians to use.

For a guide to winter service for roads and footpaths, please read:

• Stay Winter Wise on the Road(PDF 888KB)

In severe weather, your waste and recycling collections may be affected.

• Leave containers out, we will get to them as soon as it is safe for our vehicles and crews.
• Remember that roads may be safe and accessible for your car, but not for larger refuse or recycling vehicles.
• Keep an eye on our Emergencies page for updates during bad weather.
• We can send you emails to remind you when your bin is due to be collected. For more about this, see: Collection day finder.

Did you know that there are grants, benefits and sources of advice to:

• make your home more energy efficient;
• improve your heating;
• and help with bills.

You should claim all the benefits you can before winter sets in.

For more advice, please see: Money and Wellbeing.

Energy costs

For fuel vouchers or grants towards energy costs, visit:

• Citizens Advice Calderdale;
  • or phone: 0808 2787879.
• Financial support for energy bills (Together Housing);
  • or phone: 0300 330 5524.

For more about energy costs, see: Energy bills.

Greener Together Energy Service

Newground Together can help you with affordable warmth or to find out what other support there is for you.

Some of the ways they can support you are:

• Help you to switch your energy tariff to a better deal.
• To understand your energy bill and energy use.
• Advice on how to reduce energy use at home.
• Help you to apply for energy or water debt relief.
• Refer you to other help in your community, if needed.
• Small efficiency measures, such as LED light bulbs, draught excluders and window seals.

Get in touch to find out what help they can offer you:

• Email: energyadvice@newground.co.uk.
• Phone: 0300 330 5535.
• Visit: Greener Together in Calderdale.

Vehicle

• Tyres. Make sure air pressure and tread are good.
• Fluid levels. Check that antifreeze, screen wash and oil are what they need to be.
• Vision. Make sure that you can see and check window demisters.

Home

• Stock up on non-perishable items such as tins and nappies.
• Animals. Stock up on food for them.
• Heating oil. Stock up any fuels you use.
• Insurance. Make sure you have enough cover.
• Possessions. Keep vital items upstairs.
• Write a flood plan.
• Contacts. Make an list of essential contacts, such as your GP and pharmacy.
• Utilities. Know how to turn off your gas, electric and water supplies.
• Kit bag. Prepare a bag in case you need to leave your home in a hurry.
• Flood protection. Install flood resistant measures.
• Get your winter jabs. Contact a GP or pharmacist about flu and COVID-19 jabs.
• Prescriptions. Order medicine in good time.