The Whangarei Salvation Army's Irish Poutai-Beazley (rear left) says warm homes are essential to people's health. Also pictured are Misty, Sapphire, Chantay and Kruze Takimoana and Margaret Woods.
Freezing pensioners are rising early, rugging up and returning to bed in a desperate bid to stay warm this winter as the cost of living crisis starts to bite.
Whangārei Age Concern president Beryl Wilkinson said she has heard of two cases where elderly people stay in bed all day to keep warm because they can't afford soaring heating bills.
"They just stay cold or they stay in bed all day with the electric blanket on to keep warm which is cheaper and easier.
"The first thing they do is get dressed and get back into bed with the electric blanket on."
Wilkinson said she is "extremely disappointed" those receiving the winter energy payment – who include pensioners – will be excluded from the cost of living payment announced by the Government in this year's Budget.
The Government announced on May 19 that it would make payments of $350 to people earning less than $70,000 and who did not receive the winter energy payment.
The amount will be paid at about $27 a week over three months, starting in August.
It was an "injustice", Wilkinson said, that would affect many elderly people's health and wellbeing.
"Because we're getting heating [the winter energy payment] we won't get the cost of living payment.
"I'm extremely disappointed indeed because there's great poverty in this region, the older persons are definitely struggling to cope with the cost of living.
"I would advocate strongly the Government reconsider it on behalf of all older people in New Zealand."
Wilkinson said though temporary, the $350 cost of living payment would make a difference.
Overall, "there's a huge shortfall for funding for elderly people living on their own", she said.
Wilkinson has voiced her concerns to Whangārei MP Emily Henderson, National's health spokesman Dr Shane Reti and the Northland District Health Board, along with other Age Concern groups in Northland.
Reti said he was "very concerned" for the elderly and aged care sector.
Reti, who met Wilkinson on Wednesday to discuss the issue, said the cost of living payment was "poor targeting" by the Government.
"It reflects what a band-aid the cost of living payment is.
"What is damning is the Treasury papers that came out recommended Grant Robertson not do this as it would not target the most vulnerable.
"I am concerned there are people exempted from the payment like the elderly and those receiving benefits who aren't getting any benefit at a time when inflation is the worst it's been in 30 years."
The winter energy payment is available to beneficiaries and pensioners to help with the cost of heating from May to October each year.
The payment – $20.46 a week for single people with no dependent children and $31.82 a week for couples and people with dependent children - is paid automatically through Work and Income NZ.
Henderson said the Government "has delivered benefit increases, Super increases and the winter energy payment".
"It isn't that they were left off, it's that we were catching up.
"This Budget has been about closing the gap on the lower-income and middle-income earners."
The cost of living payment would support 2.1 million Kiwis, Henderson said.
About 40 per cent of working Whangārei residents earn the median income of $65,000 or less, Henderson said.
"Altogether with the targeted support we're giving, there will be 81 per cent of New Zealanders aged over 18 receiving either the temporary cost of living payment or the winter energy payment.
"We are in a period of unprecedented inflation globally due to global pressures.
"There's no silver bullet ... we've got to hit this on multiple fronts from multiple angles to alleviate the cause of poverty and address the cost of living, which we're doing."
Currently, the annual consumer price index (CPI) shows inflation is at 6.9 per cent.
Groceries, petrol and many household bills have all risen in the past year.
Reti said he "didn't buy that current inflation was all due to offshore factors".
"The way to do this is to change the tax brackets, so people can have more money in their pocket to afford the cost of living."
New Zealand homes are notoriously cold and many older homes were built without insulation.
A huge amount of heat generated inside a home can escape through walls and windows.
But help is available to Northlanders to keep their homes warm and dry.
The Energy, Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has Warmer Kiwi Homes grants for insulation and heating.
Insulation grants cover 80 per cent of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation for those who are eligible.
This means you must own and live in a home built before 2008, have a community services card, or live in an area identified as low-income.
Similar criteria apply for the heater grants which cover 80 per cent of the cost of a heat pump or efficient wood or pellet burner for the main living area.
Healthy Homes Tai Tokerau is a registered service provider for the EECA Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme.
Since 2008, more than 12,000 homes have been insulated with their help.
Healthy Homes Tai Tokerau is a joint venture between the Community Business and Environment Centre in Kaitaia and He Iwi Kotahi Tatou Trust in Moerewa.
It covers all of Northland, employing local teams to install high-quality New Zealand-manufactured polyester insulation products.
Habitat for Humanity will provide 250 winter warmer packs to whānau in need this winter.
The project is in its second year in Northland, after being successfully piloted in Auckland.
Habitat for Humanity Tai Tokerau operations manager Carina Dickson said the packs, valued at $180 each, include a heater, blankets, a doorsnake and a scoopy, which is used to scrape condensation off windows.
They also include a hygrometer, which measures humidity and temperature in the home, and information about how to make it warmer, drier and healthier.
The items will be packed and distributed to families referred by partner organisations and iwi groups from this week.
"It's providing them with not just support and advice but typical items that will help keep their homes warmer and drier. It's a bunch of tools that will help them."
Habitat for Humanity also runs a home repair programme that offers interest-free finance to have critical home repairs done.
This includes services to keep homes healthy, such as issues related to weather-tightness, insulation, heating and cooling.
Habitat tradespeople assess and carry out the work, and homeowners pay the loan back at no interest over up to five years.
Irish Poutai-Beazley is a lead social worker for Whangārei Salvation Army who is involved in the charity's transitional housing programme.
The programme, run in conjunction with the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, provides safe short-term accommodation for whānau in need for up to 12 weeks.
Families get wraparound support to secure long-term accommodation such as financial mentoring and connecting with support organisations.
This also includes ensuring families know how to best use heating to "support families around managing wellness", Poutai-Beazley said.
People are educated on different types of heating, and how to use items such as dehumidifiers.
Poutai-Beazley said having a warm, dry home was essential.
"We've had families with asthma and medical needs and it lowers their visits to the doctors; it limits the dampness in their homes.
"It makes a difference with their health."
• Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers to help pack and distribute the winter warmer packs. Phone 09 438 2250.
• To see if you're eligible for an insulation or heating grant contact 0800 749 782, visit www.healthyhomesnorth.co.nz or 0800 738 763.
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