Strategy announced to tackle ‘fuel poverty’

A 20-YEAR strategy has been unveiled, to make homes more energy efficient and warmer – in a bid to tackle so-called ‘fuel proverty’.

‘Fuel property’ is defined when a household requires to spend more than ten per cent of its net income (after housing costs) to keep their home warm, with 20 per cent being the threshold for ‘extreme fuel poverty’.

Says a Scottish Government announcement, here: “The Fuel Poverty Strategy sets out a range of comprehensive actions that will be taken to tackle the drivers of fuel poverty and meet the Scottish Government’s commitment to eradicate it as far as reasonably possible by 2040.”

The announcement adds: “In addition, Scottish Ministers have appointed a new statutory Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel to monitor and evaluate the strategy and provide expert advice to government.

“The panel will be chaired by consumer champion, Matthew Cole, who leads the independent Fuel Bank Foundation with the Trussell Trust and has worked across the utility sector to support the most vulnerable in society.”

Picture credit: Place Design Scotland