Holyrood's fuel poverty plans need a rethink, says charity

Published on Monday 30 November 2009 00:22

THE Scottish Government must rethink its plans to eliminate fuel poverty, a charity insisted last night.

WWF Scotland want the government to drop their means- tested approach to reducing fuel poverty in favour of a street-by-street home refurbishment scheme to improve energy efficiency and lower heating bills.

Figures published last week showed that there are now 600,000 families living in fuel poverty in Scotland.

The government's Energy Assistance Package replaced the Central Heating and Warm Deal package last year.

It is designed to help reduce fuel bills and improve the energy efficiency of homes, by using benefits and tax credit checks to identify those most at risk of fuel poverty.

The measures also provide a package of standard insulation measures, such as cavity wall and loft insulation, to older households and those on benefits.

But the charity said a study conducted with the Energy Agency showed that a non means-tested approach was "highly successful" in reducing the cost of energy as well as lowering the country's carbon emissions.

The average annual energy bill fell by between 180 and 600 after insulation was installed and, in Girvan, annual disposable income increased by 560,000 across the community.

The charity said fuel poverty could be reduced by up to 26 per cent and produce an average cut in carbon emissions of 19 per cent if changes were made.

Elizabeth Leighton, the senior policy officer at WWF Scotland, said: "If the Scottish Government is to meet its own target of eradicating fuel poverty by 2016, we believe it needs to rethink its current means-testing approach.

"While there are many positive aspects to the government's fuel poverty package, this report shows an area-based scheme, available to everyone, delivers a triple benefit by reducing fuel poverty rates, carbon emissions and energy costs."