Support for families in fuel poverty

A £4 million fund has been set up to help Scots struggling with their energy bills.

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

The Home Heating Support Fund is open until the end of the month. Applications via home heating advice. scot can only be made by “referral partners”. These include local authorities and third-sector organisations. Payments are made directly to energy suppliers on behalf of their customers.

People who are not able to access a referral partner can contact Advice Direct Scotland for free on 0808 800 9060 or visit the advice.scot website. Debt advisers will then assess eligibility and apply for funding if appropriate.

Extra support is 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” energy – meaning deliberately limiting heating use to be able to afford to other goods or services. This could be as a result of home-working or home-schooling.

Applications can only be accepted from organisations providing energy and/or debt advice.

This is to ensure that all other alternatives have been explored and that funding from the Home Heating Support Fund is appropriate in every case.

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “No household should suffer in 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 home-schooling.

“We are working hard to administer this new fund from the Scottish Government to ensure that fewer Scots are struggling with their energy bills.”