“I am delighted that the Scottish Government is investing £9 million to Advice Direct Scotland to roll out Home Heating Support as part of our investment to tackle fuel insecurity,” said Natalie Don MSP.
One of the first acts of the new First Minister Humza Yousaf MSP was to triple the Fuel Insecurity Fund, with £30 million now being available to help those who need the most support. The details of how this additional funding will be allocated has now been confirmed and will see:
· £9 million to enable Advice Direct Scotland to administer the Home Heating Support Fund grants to those struggling with the rapid increase in gas, electricity and oil prices;
I welcome the additional funding to tackle fuel insecurity
The Scottish Government is doing what it can to offset the Tory Cost of Living Crisis and the proposals within the increased Fuel Insecurity Fund will go some way to helping households in Scotland.
· £8.5 million for the Fuel Bank Foundation to rapidly support more than 85,000 households, including those with prepayment meters and at risk of imminent disconnection;
· £7.25m to enable the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to provide more than 55,000 households across Scotland with advice, support with bills and energy-saving items.
Natalie Don MSP added:
“Although energy policy is reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government is doing what it can to offset the Tory Cost of Living Crisis and the proposals within the increased Fuel Insecurity Fund will go some way to helping households in Scotland.
“The First Minister is holding an anti-poverty summit which will include those with direct experience of poverty along with experts from the public, private and third sectors. Tackling fuel poverty is one of the key issues to be addressed.
“It is a disgrace that energy rich Scotland, with abundant supplies of oil, gas and renewable power still has households in fuel poverty. We may have the energy, but we lack the power to control it or deal with the excess profits made by energy companies.
“The UK Tory Government has consistently failed Scottish households when it comes to energy prices, letting the private companies make excess profits while people are terrified to turn on their heating. It simply isn’t good enough and we need the full powers of independence to ensure that no one in Scotland suffers from fuel poverty.”