Welcome to our community support section for those living in the Linlithgow area. Here you’ll find information and advice as well as links to useful resources.
Cost of Living Crisis and Home Energy Advice
With the current cost of living crisis affecting most in our community, we are able to signpost to a number of useful resources providing guidance and handy tips. Please find below a number of links to information we hope you will find useful:
The Scottish Government’s cost of living support for urgent help with money, food or fuel here. Further financial advice support and resources can be found on Home Energy Scotland’s website here
Warmer Homes Scotland’s funding and support programme for households struggling to stay warm and keep on top of energy bills here
Home Energy Scotland’s Energy Saving Tips
These tips have been provided by Energy Saving Trust. Info correct as of October 2022.
Follow these tips and advice for quick and easy ways to save energy, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint. Whether
you’re a homeowner, a private or social renter, a student, or you live with your parents, there are many things you can do. Take a
look at these quick tips and see how much you could save.
Switch off standby. You can save around £65 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode. Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. You may want to think about getting a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go.
Find out which appliances use most energy in your home.
Top up the insulation. Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important: even if you have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm
jacket, you can benefit from increasing the insulation to a British Standard Jacket 80mm thick, saving £70 a year in the process. Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills.
Be savvy in the kitchen. Kettles are one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. But many of us will admit that we at least
occasionally boil the kettle with more water than we’re going to use. Avoid overfilling the kettle and save yourself £13 a year on your
electricity bill.
Draught-proof gaps. Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney. Draught-proofing gaps can save you around £125 per year in heating costs and is simple to install. Heavy curtains and sealed blinds are also useful if you don’t have double glazing. Find out more about reducing home heat loss.
Swap your bath for a shower. Some of us might enjoy a long soak in the bath, but swapping just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower could save you £20 a year on your energy bills. Find out how saving water at home can help your wallet and the environment.
Visit the Energy Saving Trust website for more tips and advice.
Support and Contacts
There are a number of online centres of information to help direct you to help during the cost-of-living crisis.
Local Support
West Lothian Council Advice Shop here
Community Connections are in Linlithgow Library every Thursday from 1pm-4pm.
Not sure what support is out there? Come along to the Health & Wellbeing drop-in sessions run by West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership to have a conversation, enjoy a cuppa and be pointed in the right direction.
West Lothian Food Bank number is 01501 229 307
1st Step Café – 12-2.30pm on a Thursday in Longcroft Halls, for a hot meal and a chat. There is also an Eco-Hub at Bridgend open Wednesday/Friday 11am-1.30pm and Thursday 6-8pm. Email: [email protected] or on www.facebook.com/1stStepcafeandbikes
Chatty Table – Monday mornings 10.30am – 12 noon at Costa Coffee run by the New Well, Thurs 2-3.30pm at the Coffee Neuk Email: [email protected]
West Lothian Council has put together a map of warm spaces in the area. Find it here. They have also created a cost of living hub – a one-stop shop for advice on how to access financial and practical help – here.
Several community groups, local charities and the Community Council are working together to support our local community through this winter. In the coming weeks we will add further information to this page. If you or your organisation would like to get involved or submit information please email Carol Clarkson: [email protected]