Keeping warm in cold weather (when you’re disabled in a society that won’t afford you the dignity of turning on the heating)

person wearing a blanket to stay warm, face not visible
A post from our Community Correspondent Robert Terry

When you can’t afford your heating, keep yourself well fed and lots of regular hot drinks. Fill your kettle up, so each time you have a regular hot drink, it costs less re-boiling already warm water. During the summer, fill your kettle one cup, or so at a time, if you don’t have so many hot drinks. Don’t drink alcohol, or drink less if you have cravings.

Or we could just make sure that people can afford to turn on the heating.
 
Put extra sheets over your quilt, or use your big bath towels. Got extra three sheets over my quilt just now and will add more when required. But I’m not three sheets to the wind. Got an extra large bath towel from TK Maxx the other year. If it keeps up like this, I’ll be using it before January. Layer up your clothes. Go for, what I call, the double or triple tuck. Tuck into your pants, into your thermals and into your jeans. Good for keeping the heat in and as long as you don’t tell anyone, they’ll not know you’ve tucked clothes into your pants. Whoops 🙂
Or we could have a social security system that gives people basic dignity.
 
Buy thermals, two sets, you know why. Buy a three-season sleeping bag: spring & autumn have the same temperature signature, a four season sleeping bag is a con and usually of lesser quality. If you’re not sitting about in your sleeping bag, dress for outside on the inside. Wear a scarf. If you can, get a sleeping bag with a hood.  Good luck for this winter.
Or we could build a society where disabled people don’t have to rely on luck to survive the winter.
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