Stay warm in your neighbourhood
What places are available?
With high utility prices and the cold weather lasting throughout our English Winter to Spring season, many people are struggling to keep warm. Here are some resources to find warm and welcoming spaces local to you.
Warm Welcome Spaces
Warm Welcome Spaces come in all different shapes and sizes, from a homework club in a local church on Tuesdays, to an over 65s community centre drop-in on a Wednesday and library co-working desks open all weekend. Just enter your postcode and what you are looking for on their website to find the right space for you.
Bucks Welcoming Spaces
Bucks Welcoming Spaces are warm, free, safe and supportive hubs that you can visit during the winter. The team can support you with looking after your physical and mental health, as well as giving general advice and providing access to Wi-FI.
Support over the winter months
Several supermarkets and cafés are offering extra support over the winter months to help communities and reduce loneliness. Here are a few local and national initiatives you can make use of:
Morrisons Café — “Ask for Henry”
If you’re struggling financially or need a warm meal, you can visit any Morrisons café and quietly ask for Henry at the till. You’ll receive a free hot jacket potato with beans, no questions asked.
This initiative is run in partnership with Heinz.
Asda Café — Winter Warmers for Over-60s
From 1 November 2025 to the end of February 2026, customers aged 60+ can enjoy hot soup, a roll, and unlimited tea and coffee for £1 in all ASDA cafés.
Hope Café, The Vineyard Church, Aylesbury
Hope Café is offering a free hot drink and bacon or sausage roll on Tuesday mornings for Community Hub attendees and anyone in need.
The café is open from 10am to 11.45am.
Costa Coffee — Chatty Café Scheme
Many Costa stores, including those in Buckinghamshire, take part in the Chatty Café Scheme. Look for the “Chatter and Natter” table at set times, where customers can sit, talk and meet new people. Some locations also host community activities such as parent-and-baby groups and craft meet-ups.
Could you get pension credit?
The government recently agreed to withdraw the universal winter fuel payment for pensioners. The payment will now only be available to those people aged 66 and over, who are receiving pension credit or a limited number of other benefits.
Pension credit offers support for a range of household expenses including the winter fuel payment, but many people are not aware and are not claiming the support that they are eligible for. According to the government, only about 60% of eligible pensioners are claiming pension credit countrywide. This means four out of 10 eligible pensioners are missing out on benefits of up to £3,900 a year. Are you one of them?
If you would like your benefits checked, please contact our Welfare team on 01296 732600 or email welfare@fairhive.co.uk
