A further £9 million has been made available to help people in Scotland who are struggling to heat their homes due to soaring energy bills and the cost of living.
The Scottish Government’s Home Heating Support Fund, administered by the charity Advice Direct Scotland, is available to those who are rationing energy to get by - regardless of the type of meter or fuel used.
Applications for the latest iteration of the fund are now open, with £9 million available. It makes up part of the £30 million Fuel Insecurity Fund, which is designed to provide financial support to households unable to cope with rising costs.
Advice Direct Scotland has worked on behalf of the Scottish Government to design and deliver the Home Heating Support Fund since 2020. Since it began, more than £8 million has been administered as grants to 15,422 households struggling with the sharp rise in the cost of gas, electricity, and other fuel types.
It includes over £1.15 million in fuel vouchers for vulnerable prepayment meter customers, delivered in partnership with PayPoint and the Post Office.
Over £452,000 of support has been paid to customers who are reliant on unregulated fuels such as coal, oil, and LPG.
The latest round of targeted funding was announced by Energy Minister Gillian Martin as she visited Advice Direct Scotland’s office in Glasgow city centre on Tuesday. Ms Martin spoke with members of the charity’s team who have been working to administer the fund and heard about some of the families and individuals it has helped.
Each grant reflects individual circumstances, with extra support available for households with at least one resident aged over 75, those who are living with a disability or illness, and/or households in remote or island communities.
Great-grandmother Veronica Daly told how the Home Heating Support Fund had been “an absolute god send” after she received a grant of £800 to help with soaring bills. The 71-year-old, from Glasgow, had been rationing her energy use to save money, but said the payment means she can now “breathe again”.
And mum-of-three Josephine Iba, 33, from Aberdeen, applied for a grant to help with her family’s energy costs. Her youngest son, aged five, requires life-supporting medical equipment to be run in the home due to having complex health needs - meaning the family’s energy usage is unavoidably high.
Josephine said the £950 they received through the fund was a “huge relief” that allowed the family to get on top of their energy bills and plan ahead.
Since launching in 2020, the fund has established a nationwide network of more than 1,000 accredited referral partners including third sector organisations, local authorities, and housing associations. Individuals can apply directly through the website at www.homeheatingadvice.scot if they have received money and/or energy advice from an accredited agency.
Alternatively, applications can be made through Advice Direct Scotland, or through an accredited partner organisation. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs energy advice service energyadvice.scot, said there had been a growing need for support over the past three years.
The Home Heating Support Fund is open for applications until March 31, 2024, or until funds are exhausted.
Commenting on the additional funding, Scottish Government Energy Minister Gillian Martin said: “Soaring energy prices have left too many households facing a crisis. The Fuel Insecurity Fund directly assists those facing difficulties in paying for energy and at risk of self-disconnection or rationing their usage.
“These are households which are already struggling with energy costs and the cost of living crisis more generally. Our investment through Advice Direct Scotland will offer a critical lifeline and expansion of the Home Heating Support Fund, with its current network of more than 1,000 referral partners.
“This is supporting upwards of 15,000 households to date and is set to further grow across Scotland this year. By tripling the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £30 million, the Scottish Government has demonstrated its commitment to equality, fairness and tackling all forms of poverty.”
Conor Forbes, Director of Business Development and Policy at Advice Direct Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Government again to launch the latest iteration of the Home Heating Support Fund.
“With many Scottish citizens struggling with the cost of living and energy bills, and the UK Government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme coming to an end, many are finding themselves having to cut back on energy to afford other things."
He added: “It’s important that anyone who is struggling reaches out for support. Advice Direct Scotland runs a number of services that can offer assistance in various areas related to the cost-of-living, including energy, debt, and support with benefits applications.”
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