Dear church leaders, NGO’s and humanitarian services, 
 
On Thursday 3rd February 2022, Ofgem announced that there would be an increase of 54% in energy prices from April 1st 2022. This will mean an increase of £693 a year for millions of people in Britain. The Government have since announced a £200 loan which will have to be paid back and a £150 council tax rebate. This still means that people will have to find nearly £300 more at the same time as the rising cost of living. We are in an extreme crisis of winter poverty. 

Currently, there are over 40,000 excess winter deaths, the elderly will be the most impacted. Thousands of elderly pensioners die every year just from living in a cold house, unable to keep their heating on throughout the day, this will most likely double next winter.  

While there are many changes needed, one of the ways we can mitigate, while demanding change from the government, is to ask all churches, NGO’s and Humanitarian services to open their doors throughout winter 22/23 to over 65 year old's in the daytime. When most people are at school or work, pensioners are in their homes but are unable to keep their heating on all day.
 
Many of the elderly used to go to the library and local café's but, with the closing of community services, their options are nil. 
We know that the increase will effect community buildings, however; you will have the ability to apply for grants, donations and funding in a way that our elderly can’t.  
 
Call to action 
 
Will you commit to spending this Spring and Summer, putting together an emergency winter strategy that will seek to accommodate the elderly next winter November – March 2023 by opening your doors in the daytime for a set number of hours/days a week? 
This will not solve the problem and will only help a small percentage of people who will struggle, but it will most likely save lives of our most vulnerable. 
Please sign this letter in solidarity, we are asking you to commit to creating a strategy for winter 2022/23.