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£10 million for Central Heating Programme
18/10/2008
An extra £10 million is set to be invested in the Central Heating Programme this year.
The money, announced today by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon, will allow the programme to help even more of Scotland's fuel poor.
She also revealed that from April 2009 it is intended that the government's fuel poverty programmes are extended to include families on income support with children under five or with disabled children under 16.
If introduced, these changes will represent the first time help with tackling fuel poverty, beyond basic insulation measures, will be offered to families as well as pensioners.
Further details on the changes to fuel poverty programmes will be given in the Cabinet Secretary's full response to the recommendations from the Fuel Poverty Forum.
Ms Sturgeon said:
"At a time when Scottish households face rocketing fuel bills this Government is committed to doing all that it can, within the powers that are available, to tackle fuel poverty.
"That is why, alongside boosting development in Scotland, helping households in these difficult economic times is a key theme of our six point programme announced this week.
"Increased energy efficiency, financial advice to vulnerable people and boosting programmes to combat fuel poverty will all form part of the six point programme which is aimed at reducing the impact of the global financial crisis on the real economy.
"This year we are already investing £46 million in our fuel poverty programmes.
"This additional investment of £10 million announced today will allow us to make a commitment to provide even more central heating systems this year than the record number installed in 2007/08.
"Combined with the changes planned for next year, and the six point programme, these moves will help even more of the 543,000 Scottish households - nearly one million people - classed as fuel poor."
Around £46 million per annum is allocated for fuel poverty programmes over 2008-2011.
Ms Sturgeon made a statement on Fuel Poverty in Parliament on May 22, 2008, and announced prioritisation within the Central Heating Programme to focus on those householders most likely to be fuel poor. From October 27, this prioritisation will be extended to cover the following pensioner households:
- those who have never had a central heating system
- those who have a system which is broken beyond repair and are in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit
- those who have a system which is broken beyond repair and are aged 75 or over
- those who have a partial or inefficient system and are in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit
- those who have a partial or inefficient system and are aged 80 or over
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum was established to advise on tackling fuel poverty. Chaired by Rev. Graham Blount it published its recommendations on the reform of fuel poverty policy on October 10, 2008. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, is considering the recommendations and will respond fully later in the year.
The Scottish Government's Central Heating Programme delivered a record 14,371 central heating systems in 2007-08. Scottish Gas delivered 14,203 and local authorities delivered a further 168 systems, in total the highest number ever delivered to private homes by the programme.
The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2006 set out the criteria governing the existing fuel poverty programmes - the Central Heating and Warm Deal Programmes. The Government would seek the approval of Parliament to amend these Regulations to include help for families on income support.