Energy cost support tripled in First Minister’s first act
Up to £30 million will be made available through the Fuel Insecurity Fund next year to help households who are at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy use, First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced.
The move has been welcomed in the Western Isles, which has “the worst levels of fuel poverty anywhere in the country”.
The funding will be made available to third sector organisations in the next financial year to support the most vulnerable households in Scotland.
The Scottish Government had previously committed to doubling the Fuel Insecurity Fund, from £10 million to £20 million.
Previous funding has been provided to third sector organisations including the Fuel Bank Foundation, Advice Direct Scotland and Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to provide direct support to households.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “I have said my immediate priority is to do everything we can to protect every Scot as far as possible from the harm inflicted by the cost-of-living crisis.
“That is why, in one of my first acts as First Minister, I can confirm today that we will build on our commitment to double the Fuel Insecurity Fund from £10 million to £20 million - to now triple it to £30 million for 2023-24.
“In a country as energy rich as Scotland, we should not have people living in fuel poverty. My government will renew and redouble our efforts to lift people out of poverty, to make work fair, to make our economy work for the people.
“With energy bills still at historically high levels and the UK Government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme being withdrawn from April 1, over the next year our Fuel Insecurity Fund will continue to be a vital lifeline for many struggling households in the country.”
SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the new First Minister’s pledge to triple support for households struggling with energy costs.
The islands’ MSP said: “The Western Isles experience the worst levels of fuel poverty anywhere in the country, due to a combination of poor housing insulation, weather, and unfair transmission charges which makes energy bills here so expensive in comparison to, say, the south of England.
“It is not right that the UK Government are ceasing their Energy Bills Support Scheme from next month when prices for households and businesses are still astronomical.
“I welcome the First Minister’s first policy announcement which demonstrates his commitment to tackling fuel poverty and the cost-of-living crisis, something which is continues to be felt acutely here in the Western Isles and across the whole of Scotland.”