The great British Winter preparation test

It may only be October, but winter is coming.

And while we can’t do much about the weather, we can at least make sure we’re prepared for it.

So, how ready are you for the great British winter?

Grab a cup of tea and give yourself a point for every question you can answer “yes” to.

1. Have you found the winter duvet?

It has been hiding somewhere since March.

Extra points if you’ve managed to put the summer one away without creating a cupboard avalanche.

2. Have you turned the heating on yet?

And, more importantly, have you had the traditional household argument about what temperature the thermostat should be?

3. Do you know where your hot water bottle is?

Because discovering it has disappeared on the coldest night of the year is practically a British tradition.

4. Have you checked your boiler?

Hopefully it’s behaving itself.

Boilers have an uncanny ability to choose the coldest possible weekend to stop working.

5. Are your gutters clear?

Autumn leaves have a habit of turning a perfectly innocent gutter into a miniature swimming pool.

6. Is your home insurance up to date?

Have you bought anything valuable, carried out renovations or made any changes to the property since your last renewal?

It could be worth checking that your Buildings & Contents cover still reflects your circumstances.

7. Have you checked your mortgage?

When does your current deal end?

If it’s coming up within the next few months, October could be a good time to start looking at your options rather than leaving it until the festive rush.

8. Have you accepted that it is probably going to rain?

If you’re reading this in the UK, the answer is almost certainly yes.

So, what’s your score?

7–8: You’re basically running a winter command centre.

4–6: Reasonably prepared. A few jobs may still be lurking on the list.

1–3: Let’s just hope the boiler holds out.

0: You have chosen optimism. We respect that.

Joking aside, October is actually a useful time to get a few household and financial jobs out of the way before the end of the year.

If checking your mortgage is one of them, we’re always happy to help.

Whether your current deal is ending soon or you simply want to understand where you stand, a quick conversation now could save you having to think about it when you’re busy with everything else.

And if nothing else, at least find that winter duvet.