Health Secetary Nicole Sturgeon has announced a new package in that will help tackle fuel poverty in Scotland. In a statement to the Parliament she said that fuel poverty was on the increase, rural communities were not well served by existing programmes and that a root and branch change was needed. The Energy Assistance Package was the key recommendation of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum. The £55.8 million per year package will be made available to the one million Scots who are ‘fuel poor’. The package will start in April 2009, replacing the Central Heating and Warm Deal programmes in a drive to tackle all aspects of fuel poverty - not just energy efficiency. Ms Sturgeon said, “Our six-point plan for the Scottish economy includes helping households experiencing difficulties in the current economic climate.
We are determined to improve energy efficiency in homes, do more to tackle fuel poverty and offer better financial advice to vulnerable households. Our review of fuel poverty in Scotland published in May made for sober reading: fuel poverty on the increase despite huge investment programmes across Scotland; rural communities struggling and not well served by existing programmes. We have carefully considered the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum’s report and agree with their key recommendation for the Scottish Government to implement an Energy Assistance Package. A root and branch change is needed - so we will act.” You can find out more about the programme in Blueprint to help fuel poor on the Scottish Government website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/11/19160352

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20 October 2008
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