Surviving Winter 2025/26
The Surviving Winter campaign has been running since 2011, supporting elderly and vulnerable people keep warm and safe during the winter months.
About Surviving Winter
We’ve reached that time of year when the clocks go back, the nights draw in and we prepare for the colder months ahead. Winter can be a happy, uplifting time full of cheer and expectation but for many people living in Wiltshire and Swindon it will be dark, dispiriting and dangerous.
For thousands of people in our county living in fuel poverty their winter preparations will be accompanied by a feeling of dread and worry over how they will keep themselves and their loved ones warm and safe.
In a rural county like ours, many homes are dependent on expensive heating oil or are hard to insulate effectively. We know there are still at least 36,000 people living in fuel poverty. With your help, we can continue working with our partners to reach those most in need with both emergency fuel grants and tailored support and advice.
That is why we are asking for your support for our annual Surviving Winter campaign.
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The Need
More than 29,000 households in Wiltshire and Swindon are living in fuel poverty, unable to afford to heat their homes properly through the coldest months of the year. Older people are particularly at risk: while the overall rate of pensioner poverty across Wiltshire is 7.3%—around 11,650 people—some neighbourhoods see more than a quarter of older people living in poverty, more than twice the national average.
Cold homes can have devastating effects on health, especially for those over 65, worsening respiratory and circulatory conditions and putting lives at risk. With Pension Credit widely underclaimed, the true scale of poverty and hardship facing older and vulnerable people in our communities is likely even higher.
The Response
In response to this increased need we will again be working with partners Age UK Wiltshire, Warm and Safe Wiltshire, Wiltshire Citizens Advice and Swindon Citizens Advice to support elderly and vulnerable people in our local community
Our partners will address people’s immediate needs through grants to pay energy bills, advice on making their homes more energy efficient, help with applying for benefits they may not ever have known they were entitled and practical support including food and clothing.
Last year alone, thanks to the generosity of our supporters we were able to help over 1,500 households and increased their incomes by over £1.4 million through grants and advice. You can read more about the impact of the programme last year below.
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The Impact
The past year has once again shown how vital our Surviving Winter programme is for people across Wiltshire and Swindon. When the programme began in 2011, we could not have predicted the scale it would reach or the complex needs it would address. Originally focused on providing one-off fuel grants to older people and others at risk from the cold, we have seen how even a small grant can open the door to lasting change — improving health, reducing anxiety, and giving people greater financial stability.
Since its redesign in 2020, Surviving Winter has increased household incomes by more than £4.5 million annually across Wiltshire and Swindon — a remarkable achievement made possible by the expertise of our partners and the generosity of our supporters and funding through the local authority.
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How you can help
If you are able to donate to our Surviving Winter campaign you will be enabling us o support vulnerable local people at a time of crisis.
We will be hugely appreciative of any amount you feel able to give. You can donate by card by phone by calling 01380 738989 or online using the button below.
Together we can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people in our communities.
Thank you for your support.
DonateWorried about your energy bills?
If you are of pensionable age or have a long-term health condition which is exacerbated by the cold weather and are on a low income you may be eligible for support through our Surviving Winter programme.
To find out more please contact:
Age UK Wiltshire if you are of pensionable age on 0808 1962424
or
Warm and Safe Wiltshire if you are working age on 0800 0385722
