£16m to tackle fuel poverty

Fuel-poor households are to benefit from a further £16 million investment to improve energy efficiency in their homes.

The money will be used to improve insulation and install energy efficient heating systems, including those using renewable technology, contributing to Scotland’s net zero targets and helping to meet a key Programme for Government commitment.

Warmer Homes Scotland, the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme, will receive £6 million, while area based schemes delivered by local authorities will receive £10 million.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said:

“I’m pleased to be this providing additional funding for the area based schemes and Warmer Homes Scotland, which between them have supported more than 120,000 households across the country.

“This new investment will help to improve the lives of fuel-poor people in Scotland, enabling them to live in warm, comfortable homes and pay less on their fuel bills while living in a greener, more sustainable way.

“This funding is expected to help secure up to 200 jobs and means we are investing a total of £97 million in grant funding to support fuel-poor households this year.”

Elizabeth Woods from Dundee was living with a broken boiler but now has a gas-fired heating system thanks to Warmer Homes Scotland, changing the energy efficiency of her home from Band D to C.

“My house is so warm,” she said. “We absolutely love when the boiler kicks in and we hear the heating coming on, we get so excited! We were dreading winter this year, but now I can’t actually wait because I will benefit from the new heating system. It’s already reduced my monthly bills by £110 – that is huge to me.

“I honestly can’t even find the words to say how thrilled I am with the whole thing, and how professional everyone was from start to finish.”

Background

The 2020/21 Programme for Government contains a commitment to scale up and accelerate existing work with the aim of reducing emissions from heating buildings to near-zero by 2045.

Warmer Homes Scotland was launched by the First Minister in September 2015 and has helped nearly 20,000 customers to make their homes warmer. Area based schemes have helped more than 100,000 households in every part of Scotland since they were launched in 2013.  

To find out if you qualify for help from Warmer Homes Scotland, contact Home Energy Scotland onlineor by calling 0808 808 2282.

More information about local area based schemes in your area can be obtained from Home Energy Scotland or from your local council website.