Home improvements making a difference

Over a quarter of people in West Lothian experience fuel poverty but home improvement works are slowly beginning to make a difference, West Lothian Council’s Executive has heard.

Fuel poverty affects 28 per cent of households in West Lothian. The national the average is 31 per cent.

In a update on the works carried out to improve heating systems and insulation, officials pointed out that, while this had cut the number of households facing fuel poverty, the biggest problem remained the high costs of energy.

From 2002/03 to 2015/16, average household energy costs increased by 170 per cent and this continues to be the main factor influencing fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty is defined by a household having to spend more than 10 per cent of its net income on fuel.

The council plans to renew 3500 gas boilers over a five-year programme. External wall insulation will be installed to over 600 homes.

Homes in villages without gas supplies are being installed with Solar PV panels which can save household about £150 a year. Air source heat pumps,and in some areas, ground source heat pumps are also potentially the answer to help cut heating costs.

The council is improving homes as part of the Scottish Government-backed programme for energy efficiency.

As this moves into new phases more renewable energy sources will be developed.

The most effective way for households to save, and one which has been called for by SNP councillors, would be the development of a council owned Energy Supply Company (ESCo) or the development of a“White Labelling”scheme, where the council partners an established scheme.

Other potential lies in establishing or participating in a Collective Switching Scheme and in joining an established Energy Co-operative.

The Scottish Government has announced that it will set up a publicly-owned energy company by 2021 and it has asked local authorities for their views.