Key events
As snow falls across the UK, charity Age UK has said it is worried that the loss of the winter fuel payment had caused many older people to be “extra fearful” about turning on their heating this winter.
Caroline Abrahams, director at the charity, said:
With high energy bills and food prices it is understandable that some may think they have to cut back on food and turn their heating off, but prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can have a serious impact on an older person’s health, especially if they are already trying to manage existing illnesses.
Abrahams added it was “vital” that older people stayed “fit, warm and well if they can” by having hot food and drinks throughout the day, wrapping up warm and sleeping with the windows closed.
Where are there weather warnings in place?
As we mentioned earlier, the Met Office has issued snow and ice warnings for various parts of the country. This is what they say:
For northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland:
Snow and hail showers will affect northern parts of Scotland at times, becoming heavier and more frequent…through much of Tuesday and then overnight into Wednesday morning. 2 to 5 cm of snow is likely to accumulate quite widely, with up to 10 cm in some places by the end of Tuesday, and perhaps 15 to 20 cm accumulating above 300 metres.
For north Wales, the Midlands and northern England:
The most likely scenario is for most of the snow to accumulate on hills, with 5 to 10 cm possible above 200 metres and perhaps as much as 15 to 20 cm above 300 metres. There is a chance of snow settling at lower levels, where 5 to 10 cm would prove much more disruptive – this remains uncertain, but seems most likely across parts of Derbyshire. As rain, sleet and snow clears from the north of the warning area by early Tuesday morning, ice may form on untreated surfaces.
For Northern Ireland:
Snow is expected on high ground above 200 to 300 metres, where several cm snowfall is likely, and perhaps 5 to 10 cm across the higher parts of the Sperrins and Mournes. Settling snow looks unlikely on low ground. However, as skies clear overnight, temperatures will fall widely below freezing with ice forming on untreated surfaces. This will lead to difficult travelling conditions.
Meanwhile, charity Asthma + Lung UK urged those living with lung conditions to be “extra careful”.
The charity warned that cold weather can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks or “flare-ups” for people with other lung conditions.
Erika Radford, head of health advice at the organisation, said:
Your risk of ending up in A&E doubles in winter if you have a lung condition. We’re here to help you to stay well, however every day people with lung conditions are needlessly suffering and without urgent action more lives will be put at risk.
We’ve got more on that weather alert from the UK Health Security Agency.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events at the UKHSA, said:
This is the first amber Cold Weather Health Alert of the season, but we can expect more as we approach winter, and it is vital to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the onset of cold weather.Particularly if they are elderly or otherwise at increased risk.
Here are some of the latest images from across the UK:
The Alzheimer’s Society has warned that cold weather can be “particularly challenging” for people with dementia. “Colder temperatures can be difficult for a person with dementia to adjust to, and they may not always be able to communicate that they are cold – or they may not even recognise it themselves,” the charity said. It advised the public to check in on loved ones, friends and neighbours living with the condition.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, from the UKHSA, said: “This is the first amber Cold Weather Health Alert of the season, but we can expect more as we approach winter, and it is vital to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the onset of cold weather. Particularly if they are elderly or otherwise at increased risk.”
Age UK director Caroline Abrahams said the charity was worried that the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment has caused many older people to be “extra fearful” about turning on their heating this winter.
“With high energy bills and food prices it is understandable that some may think they have to cut back on food and turn their heating off, but prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can have a serious impact on an older person’s health, especially if they are already trying to manage existing illnesses,” she said. “The cold raises blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke and breathing in cold air can also increase the risk, and impact, of serious illnesses like flu and pneumonia.”
Rail cancellations and road delays as snowy conditions create ‘first taste of winter’
Snowy conditions described as “the first taste of winter” have caused train cancellations and road delays in parts of the UK after severe weather warnings were issued.
The Met Office put three yellow warnings for snow and ice in place in the North, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – advising that vehicles could be stranded, power cuts may occur and rural areas could be cut off.
The yellow warning for England has been issued until 11am and the warning for Scotland will remain in place until 10am on Wednesday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season, warning conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.
The amber warning covers the east and north of England, the Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with yellow alerts coming into place for the South East, South West and London at 8am on Tuesday, lasting until 6pm on Saturday.
National Rail warned the cold climate would affect various routes on northern train services until at least 2pm on Tuesday. Mersey Rail issued an alert warning passengers that due to the potential of snow and ice covering tracks, the first service on each line in north-west England would run without customers to ensure conditions could be checked.
National Highways also sent out a severe amber weather alert for snow, with the M1 in Leeds and Sheffield, the M56 in Manchester, junction 39 of the M6 and junctions 21-23 of the M62 likely to see disruption.
The Met Office, which described the conditions as “the first taste of winter”, said 5-10cm of snow would prove disruptive in England, with Derbyshire being the area most likely to be affected.
