Although Storm Arwen has abated, the widespread disruption has left tens of thousands of people in the north of England still without electricity. Damage to power equipment has been described as unprecedented. As repairs are being made, more faults are being discovered and it is expected that properties in Cumbria may not have electricity until 8 December. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59396135 On 30 November the Met Office reported, ‘There is an 80% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions/heavy snow between 9am on Wednesday 1 December and midnight on Saturday 4 December in parts of England’. Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous for older people, those with underlying health conditions, and young children. We can pray for a speedy return to full capacity electricity across all areas, and for friends, family, and neighbours to be aware of others who may be vulnerable and need support. See also

A quiet crisis has been unfolding in the homecare sector where the system is expected to reach breaking point this winter - unless urgent action is taken. Long-standing pressures on council funding meant that homecare providers were already operating on a shoestring with a limited capacity to withstand unforeseen shocks when Covid-19 hit. They face high fuel costs and unaffordable insurance, running the risk of closing. But demand for homecare is rising, with more complex requirements due to early hospital discharges. Workers face burnout. Unless additional funding is made available, we will likely see even more care staff leave this winter, at the worst possible time. Many disabled people choose to employ their own personal assistants to help them with tasks like getting out of bed in the morning and supporting them through the day so that they can work. There are 100,0000+ vacancies in the social care sector. See

Former first minister Arlene Foster has spoken out against those who say that religion and politics should never mix. When speaking at the St Patrick Centre to a live audience, she discussed her own faith as well as her political career. Expressing her frustration she said, ‘Christianity doesn’t call you to be neutral. It calls you to be salt and light about what you believe in. It does annoy me when people say you have to take religion out of politics and leave it at the door, or like it only happens at the weekend. It is part of who you are. Your Christianity and your faith is something that is with you all the time. You can’t just leave it at home on Sunday night and go out without it on Monday.’

When she checks her son at night, Sandy Birtles can hardly see her teenager for all the coats on his bed. The single mother of two says they have to be careful not to use too much hot water, and they do all they can to keep warm but the bills keep rising. ‘I do not have the heating on when the kids are at school. If I'm not running around and clearing up, then I'm wrapping up in a coat.’ She said that financial pressures mean she has been ‘penny-pinching all the time’, but rising energy bills have added to the strain. A charity has predicted that she - and millions of others - will face a particularly difficult bill shock early next April when domestic energy prices rise. Domestic gas bills will have doubled in 18 months. Pray for suppliers to give more support to struggling customers.