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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Fuel Poverty Concerns

  • Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party.
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 2021
  • Motion reference: S6M-01323

That the Parliament believes that, at 24.6%, the level of fuel poverty identified in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2019 is in danger of rising even further due to the very challenging combination of a steep increase in the electricity price cap, adding a reported £250 to average dual fuel bills compared to winter 2020-21, the end of the UK job retention scheme and the approach of winter at a time when many households are facing unprecedented demands on their income from the COVID-19 accrual of fuel, rent and mortgage debts, when many are still working from home and therefore increasing their energy use; understands that this is a particular concern for the 17% of households in Scotland living off the gas grid and reliant on electricity or solid fuel, with bills on average 50% higher than the average Scottish dual fuel bill and 100% higher than the average such bill for the UK; urges energy suppliers and network operators to provide exceptional support to low-income, vulnerable households struggling with their energy costs, and resolves to support people to ensure they are signposted to expert advice from locally-based trusted organisations, including not-for-profit community-led charities, Citizens Advice bureaux and national services, including Home Energy Scotland.


Supported by: Karen Adam, Clare Adamson, Jackie Baillie, Colin Beattie, Siobhian Brown, Ariane Burgess, Stephanie Callaghan, Natalie Don, Bob Doris, Annabelle Ewing, Rhoda Grant, Fiona Hyslop, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Ruth Maguire, John Mason, Paul McLennan, Stuart McMillan, Audrey Nicoll, Mark Ruskell, Michelle Thomson, David Torrance, Evelyn Tweed (Registered interest) , Beatrice Wishart