Charity calls for more cash to make homes greener

● CAB calling for Holyrood to spend £250m on energy efficiency upgrade

A charity has urged the Scottish Government to boost funding to help make homes more energy efficient to £256 million a year.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) said this would be a vital step towards meeting the government’s climate change targets of net zero emissions by 2045. It said 13 per cent of Scotland’s carbon emissions come from people’s homes.

To reduce that, the Scottish Government’s target is to raise the energy performance of all homes in Scotland to at least a C rating – and a B rating for all social housing – by 2040.

New research by CAS estimates the combined total investment required by the Scottish Government, homeowners and private landlords is likely to be at least £11 billion over the next 20 years, or £550 million a year.

The charity believes the Scottish Government’s contribution should be at least £256 million per year, more than doubling its current £119 million a year budget.

CAS spokesman Dr Jamie Stewart said: “Despite energy efficiency being designated as a National Infrastructure Priority four years ago, the amount of central funding available has remained the same.

“Improving energy efficiency of our homes is key to Scotland becoming net-zero but it is vital that the public and specifically those who are fuel poor aren’t hit the hardest by the drives to meet climate targets.”

An energy performance certificate (EPC) is used to rate a property based on its energy efficiency from A (the most efficient) to G (least efficient).

Currently just half of Scottish housing stock is rated C or higher and there are estimated to be 1.42 million properties rated D or below.

The Scottish Government said a new, legally binding standard for home energy efficiency from 2024 onwards is being proposed to help tackle climate change and eradicate fuel poverty.

It is launching a consultation seeking views from homeowners on what this standard may look like, and how they can help people meet it.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “By the end of 2021, we will have allocated more than £1 billion since 2009 to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency to make homes warmer and cheaper to heat.”