New government figures have also shown that although fuel poverty in Scotland has decreased from the previous year, the figure for 2015 is still higher than the first measurement in 1996. Energy Action Scotland (EAS) says that this shows “much work has still to be done” to eradicate cold homes.
The new figures released today reveal that fuel poverty levels in Scotland in 2015 dropped to 748,000, compared to 845,000 households in 2014. About a third of this drop is due to energy efficiency measures, whilst around half is due to lower domestic energy prices.
EAS director Norman Kerr said: “Just last month the statutory duty under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 for the Scottish Government to eradicate fuel poverty expired and the target was missed. Two working groups were tasked to advise Scottish Ministers on their next steps and they have made over 100 recommendations.
“It is now vital that the Scottish Government uses this advice to develop a new strategy, set a new fuel poverty target and increase funding for its programmes in the upcoming Budget Statement.
“The progress to date on solving the problem of cold, damp and unaffordable to heat homes must not be lost, but can and should be built upon.”
The charity highlights that government is right to continue funding programmes that aim to stop homes leaking heat and to provide modern and efficient heating. It also calls on government to further improve rural housing stock to guard against future price rises.
Scotland missed its fuel poverty targets in November which required the Scottish government to ‘ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that people are not living in fuel poverty in Scotland by November 2016’. It insisted though that the government remained committed to continuing its efforts and would work with stakeholders to review the fuel poverty action plan.