Health bosses are running a support scheme to help vulnerable South Hams people cope with the plummeting temperatures.

The Staying Warm and Well service is to run until the end of March, providing support to vulnerable residents living in a cold home, who need extra support over the winter or who have a heating emergency.

The joint service run by the county council and NHS Devon is provided by a group of three trusted providers who can provide food and medicine supplies in bad weather; make welfare calls and alerts, maintain social contacts and help combat loneliness; and help with transport, or provide room thermometers.

Staff can direct people to support from Citizens' Advice Bureaux, who can offer advice on paying fuel bills and fuel debt advice; help with switching fuel supplier and applications for fuel grants; and a range of other financial support.

The Staying Warm and Well Service can help with:

l Emergency help with boiler breakdowns and burst pipes.

l Providing heaters and dehumidifiers.

l Advice on how a home can be more energy efficient.

l Applying for insulation, boiler replacement grants.

l Loft clearance before insulation is installed.

l A warm homes pack, containing blankets, socks etc.

l Installing a room temperature alerter for people at risk.

l Installing smoke alarms, CO detectors and handrails to help prevent accidents.

Anyone who needs help can contact the Staying Warm and Well Service on Freephone 0808 162 5282 or complete the online referral form at http://www.dacvs.org.uk">www.dacvs.org.uk, who will develop a winter action plan for them and arrange the support they need.  

Andrea Davis, Devon County Council's lead council member for health and wellbeing, said:  'It's often easy to forget that this is a particularly difficult time of year for some people in our communities.

'We all need to be aware of vulnerable family, friends or neighbours who are living in a cold or damp home, particularly older people who live alone and feel isolated, or people who have an existing health condition.

'However, the winter weather can affect anybody, who might have a winter warmth emergency such as their boiler breaks down or pipes burst or if their home floods. 

'They might also be struggling to keep warm because their home is poorly insulated or their fuel costs are too high.'