Thousands could benefit from fuel cash

Projects already in the pipeline

Thousands of residents in Perth and Kinross living in fuel poverty have been handed a multi-million pound boost.

Perth and Kinross Council has secured over £1 million from a national fund to help tackle fuel poverty in homes.

The local authority is looking to invest over £2m to replace old central heating systems and support people who live in remote local areas to heat their homes.

The money will come from the Warm Homes Fund in partnership with energy company SSE.

A total of £1,092,051 will be invested in the scheme by the council with a further £1,209,303 from the Warm Homes Fund (WHF), along with Energy Company Obligation funding of £138,550 from SSE.

Over 20 per cent of households in both the private and rented sectors in Perth and Kinross are estimated to be living in fuel poverty. Households in fuel poverty are unable to heat their homes sufficiently to stay warm and healthy. Projects will include:

Extensions to the mains gas network and installing 352 (252 council and 100 private) new gas heating systems in the North Muirton area of Perth.

Installing 63 (43 council and 20 private) air source heat-pumps or LPG systems in rural areas of Perthshire which have no current access or any prospect of receiving mains gas.

Helping to identify and engage with people suffering from fuel poverty in Perth and Kinross so that resources can be delivered where it is most effective.

Work will now begin to deliver these projects by December 2019. The council will also consider further opportunities to bid for more WHF funding which could enable the project to be extended.

Housing and communities convener, Councillor Peter Barrett, said: “The council is already working to tackle fuel poverty in Perth and Kinross through a number of initiatives, and the news of this significant funding award, supported by major council investment and money from SSE, will be a huge boost to our efforts.

“Everyone has the right to live in a warm home that is affordable to heat. This money will help us target homes that are hard-to-heat or are situated in rural areas the gas network doesn’t reach.

“It will make a huge difference to lives of hundreds of our residents and I look forward to taking the work forward in partnership with SSE.

“Perth and Kinross Council has a very strong record of partnership with SSE. So much so that other local authorities are now keen to collaborate with us in submitting bids and developing warm homes programmes. In this instance we developed a successful consortium bid with Moray Council.

“We will also be looking for every opportunity to increase the scope of local energy saving and fuel poverty actions if further government funding becomes available.”