Funding to help with heating bills

A £4 million support fund has been launched which can help Monklands residents struggling with their energy bills during the Covid lockdown.

The Scottish Government scheme, which will be administered by national advice service Advice Direct Scotland, is designed to prevent households falling into fuel poverty.

The Home Heating Support Fund is open until March 31 and applications can only be made on behalf of individuals by“referral partners”through homeheatingadvice.scot.

This includes local authorities and third sector organisations, with payments then made directly to energy suppliers on behalf of their customers.

Their expert debt advisers will assess eligibility and apply for funding on the individual’s behalf, if appropriate.

Targeted funding will reflect each individual’s circumstances, with extra support available for households where one person is over 75, they rely on electric heating, or live in a remote or island community.

Eligibility is based on households which are “self-rationing”their energy, meaning those who are deliberately limiting their energy use so that they can afford to spend money on other goods or services.

This could be as a result of home-working or homeschooling due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Any Monklands households which are “off-supply”are not eligible for the fund, and should seek support from their energy supplier or organisations which can refer them to the Fuel Bank Foundation.

In 2019, an estimated 24.6 per cent of all households were in fuel poverty – around 613,000 households – and the pandemic has increased financial hardship for many.

Local authorities and housing associations across the country have also been invited to register.

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said:

“No household should suffer fuel poverty or have to ration fuel to get by.

“The Covid pandemic has increased financial hardship and many Scots have been left struggling as a result of increased energy costs while working from home or homeschooling.”

Individuals who are not able to access a nationwide referral partner can contact Advice Direct Scotland for free on 0808 800 9060 or visit www.advice.scot

No household should suffer fuel poverty or have to ration fuel to get by

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An Airdrie autocentre is putting a halt on some of the costs of motoring by offering customers free “brakes for life”.

Its Brakes4life initiative gives drivers free replacement brake pads or shoes for as long as they drive – even when they replace their car.

The campaign reduces the cost of vehicle maintenance while encouraging owners to make sure their brakes are in full working order.

Bob Masters, Halfords Mcconechy’s brakes expert, said: “With fuel prices and insurance costs driving up the cost of motoring, our Brakes4life initiative offers motorists unprecedented value for money and peace of mind. Motorists will only have to pay for their first set of brake pads or brake shoes and all future brake pads or shoes on the same axle will be supplied and fitted free of charge.

“Driving with worn brakes can increase your stopping distance, while letting the brake pads wear all the way to the wear indicator may mean your brake discs need to be replaced too.”