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Working for Warm, Dry Homes

Energy Action Scotland (EAS) campaigns for an end to fuel poverty in Scotland and is the only national charity with this sole remit.

EAS aims to develop and promote effective solutions to the problem of cold, damp and expensive to heat homes.

The website has been designed and developed to allow diverse users the ability to easily source policy, research, press and project materials on the above.

Through the site we will keep you up to date with training, current issues, events and news.

PRESS RELEASE

Today, Wednesday 27th June 2018, in response to the Scottish Government publishing The Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill, Energy Action Scotland Director, Norman Kerr makes the following statement.

“While the Government has raised its ambition - intending now that no more than 5% (previously 10%) of Scottish homes will be fuel poor by 2040 - Energy Action Scotland remains disappointed by the content of the new bill. It expects that a full generation from now a significant number of households will still be fuel poor and this is clearly unacceptable.

“Energy Action Scotland agrees with the Minister’s belief that “everyone in Scotland should have the right to live in a warm, comfortable home” and welcomes the fact that the Bill takes account of “other reasonable fuel needs”.  However, we profoundly disagree on the timescale for that ambition.

“Energy Action Scotland is also disappointed that the Scottish Government continues to use the UK Minimum Income Standard (MIS) in its fuel poverty calculation without the need to adjust the MIS thresholds upwards for households living in remote rural areas.  This takes no account of the specific circumstances of hundreds of thousands of rural fuel poor who pay significantly more for all goods and services, not just energy costs.  It ignores the rural and poverty premiums experienced by many.

“Despite this, Energy Action Scotland remains committed to working with the Scottish Government and all MSPs who share our concern about the 649,000 households in Scotland currently living in fuel poverty. Energy Action Scotland will continue the work to ensure that a warm, dry, affordable-to-heat home becomes a reality in Scotland, not simply an aspiration.”