Government to outline fresh strategy to tackle fuel poverty

THE Housing Minister is set to outline plans to tackle fuel poverty.

The Scottish Government was recently accused of having “failed to get a grip” on the issue after research found fuel poverty levels have more than doubled since 2003.

A Government target to eradicate the problem by November 2016 was missed and researchers found fuel poverty, currently defined as households spending 10% of income on heating, affects around 845,000 – or 35% – of homes in Scotland.

The level has remained steady since 2009.

Minister for Local Government and Housing Kevin Stewart will open Energy Action Scotland’s Fuel Poverty Matters national conference in Clydebank on Thursday.

He is expected to outline Scottish Government’s plans to improve the energy efficiency of homes and how new powers devolved to Holyrood will enable schemes to help mitigate the cost of energy.

He said: “Everyone should be able to heat their home and keep themselves and their families warm, therefore tackling and eradicating fuel poverty is vital and we must make sure action we are taking is making a difference to those that need it most.

“Since 2008, over one million energy efficiency measures have been installed in almost one million households across Scotland which has helped make homes warmer and easier to heat.

“We will build on this by investing half a billion pounds over the next four years to continue tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency.”

Norman Kerr, director of Energy Action Scotland, said: “Our network has a wealth of knowledge and experience about what is happening on the ground in order to turn cold, damp houses into warm, dry homes. This conference aims to help support plans for ending the blight of fuel poverty in Scotland.”

The Scottish Government plans to commission an independent academic review to consider narrowing the definition of fuel poverty and setting a new target, following a report by the Scottish Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group which found the existing definition is “too broad”.

Opposition politicians and housing charities have criticised the Government’s “unacceptable” performance on fuel poverty and called for increased action, while Labour has said the SNP has “failed to get a grip” on the issue.

Families who do not switch energy supplier pay £300 more a year, survey finds