The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund has been set up by the Council using Scottish Government funding which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. The Councils head of revenues and business support will therefore look at these claims on an individual basis so that awards can be made to those who are eligible.. (LogOut/ The Liberal Democrat MP said: It is entirely wrong that the council is telling people that they must apply online to access the Fuel Support Payment, despite operating a phone support line for the expressed purpose of helping people claim their benefits. Highland Council has therefore decided to use part of the Governments funding to set up a fuel support fund for those who are having difficulties paying for fuel for their homes.. People on low incomes who are experiencing fuel insecurities can apply online here for a 60 non-repayable cash payment per application which is made to eligible applicants. I would encourage anyone affected by the stark choices of heating or eating, to seek help and support for a number of providers.. The funding comes from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations who are administering the 2 million fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. Households in the Ross-shire and the rest of the Highlands who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of Covid-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund grant from Highland Council. More than 3,000 people could miss out. All Rights Reserved. For those experiencing fuel insecurities, the scheme is available to low income households who are entitled to Council Tax Reduction (CTR) and for those without recourse to public funds. Highland Council is proposing to use an allocation from this fund together with 2m from reserves in order to mitigate the fuel challenges faced by Highland . We will do our best to provide you with the support you need.. Using Covid-19 funding from the Scottish Government the council can make a 60 grant per. We had contact with one mum who had been very distressed about the cost of energy and providing for her children. Draught proofing kits, carpets, and thermal curtains and door fittings have been provided to help keep homes warm. Funding is also available from the Scottish Government, Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Warm Homes Fund for those looking to implement energy efficiency measures within their home such as adding loft, cavity or External Wall Insulation to reduce heat loss and save on annual energy bills. Low income households within Highland experiencing fuel insecurities can apply for a non-repayable 60 grant. Subscribe to The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community. On 29 October 2021, the Scottish Government announced a 41m Winter Support Fund for low-income families which includes 10m nationally to help those struggling to pay their fuel bills. Members of the Highland Council agreed support totalling almost 3 million to help people currently living in fuel poverty due to the rise in prices. On 26 January 2022, you had a personal exemption from Council Tax on the grounds that you were a student. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies -. Highland Council said it did not comment on individual cases. This comes in addition to other support mechanisms, such as the 400 discount to energy bills from the UK Government over the winter months. Warm Home Discounts equivalent to 140 per annum off household energy bills are available from some energy suppliers for those on low income. The Scottish Government grant is available for owner occupiers and private rented properties subject to eligibility (see table below), grant funding cannot be used to cover installation costs for social properties (either Council or Registered Landlord). Highland Council has been delivering the Scottish Governments Energy Efficiency Scotland Area Based Scheme for over nine years, which offers households the opportunity to benefit from grant funded innovative, energy efficiency measures, which have the potential to improve peoples living conditions. With just two days until the deadline, only 81% of eligible householders have claimed the payment. Mr Reiss said: The energy expertise within Citizens Advice means that help available for individual households is identified and accessed. Councillor Margaret Davidson, council leader, said: Sadly, as a result of Covid-19, an increasing number of households in Highland are experiencing fuel insecurities. Low income . The Leader of the Council, Cllr Margaret Davidson added Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. Highland Councils fuel support fund is to be extended until March, councillors have agreed. This is where the SSE Renewables Grant can help those experiencing extreme fuel poverty. Households in the Highlands who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of COVID-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund from The Highland Council. SSE re-invest part of the profits from wind farms back into local communities. You can also get further advice about Welfare Benefits by calling our Welfare Support Team on 0800 090 1004 or emailing them at welfare.support@highland.gov.uk. Council tax rules mean that there are some individuals on a low income who are exempt from council tax and therefore not entitled to council tax reduction. The EES:ABS grant and new funding will be used to reduce/remove household contributions on a range of energy efficiency measures including: While the programme adopts a fabric first approach, the 2022/23 programme has a particular focus on installation of air source heat pumps and also encouraging householders to consider Cavity Wall, Loft Insulation and solar panels and battery storage. If you require further help or advice regarding the 180 fuel support payment, please contact us by email fuelsupportpayment@highland.gov.uk. Enquire through our Energy Efficient Scotland pagefor more information. Full details including online application https://www.highland.gov.uk . Warm Home Discounts equivalent to 140 per annum off household energy bills are available from some energy suppliers for those on low income. Mr Stone quizzed local authority officials after a constituent without access to a computer or smartphone had to ask a neighbour for assistance. Households in the Highland who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of COVID-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund from The Highland Council. All applicants will be offered a referral to Citizens Advice (CAB) for energy checks and expertise available from CAB as this may help to reduce domestic fuel bills. Applications for the fuel support fund can be made online via the councils website at or by calling the welfare support team on 0800 090 1004. More than 200 warm winter duvets have also been distributed. A link has been emailed to you - check your inbox. If agreed, a payment of 180 would be made to around 16,440 eligible Highland households where residents are in receipt of means-tested council tax reduction. Due to rising costs in energy prices, it is anticipated that these figures will increase significantly. Households in the Highlands who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of COVID-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund from the Highland Council. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. 2023- Highland News and Media Ltd. All rights reserved. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on 28 February 2021. The funding will help many vulnerable residents benefit from warm, sustainable homes for years to come.". Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Leader of Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson, said:In the light of the clear concerns about extreme fuel poverty in Highland communities, it is imperative that we take immediate action to relieve some of the worst impacts this winter. Council officials responded: Due to the difficult situation many of our customers currently find themselves in, our welfare team are already working at full capacity to manage the volume of referrals they receive. This includes energy switching, reducing fuel bills and obtaining grants to improve the fuel efficiency of individual homes.. Households in the Highland who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of COVID-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund from The Highland Council. For those experiencing fuel insecurities, the scheme is available to low income households who are entitled to Council Tax Reduction (CTR) and for those without recourse to public funds. CAB Energy Advisers can be contacted on 01463 237664. People on low incomes who are experiencing fuel insecurities can apply online atwww.highland.gov.uk/fuelsupportfund for a 60 non-repayable cash payment per application which is made to eligible applicants. The good news is that we still have some funding left and we are very eager to make sure this gets to households in need. Households in the Highlands who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of COVID-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund from the Highland Council. Over the last nine years the scheme has leveraged around 34 million of external funding to the Highlands to deliver energy efficiency measures to over 3,100 privately owned and privately rented properties throughout the Highlands. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on February 28. The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund has been set up by the Council using Scottish Government funding which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. It is clear to us that this fund is making a real difference. The Councils Head of Revenues and Business Support will therefore look at these claims on an individual basis so that awards can be made to those who are eligible.. Funding from Scottish Government grant covers the cost of the installation, in the most part, although some works may require a household contribution to meet the shortfall between installation cost and funding available. Our welfare staff have been working tirelessly to do their absolute best for our communities and will continue to do so.. The Fund has offered Highland Council 1m of grant funding to be spent over 2022/23 and 2023/24 with the option to extend funding to 2024/25 if necessary. It has offered the Highland Council 1 million of grant funding to be spent over 2022/23 and 2023/24 with the option to extend funding to 2024/25 if necessary. Council to consider support for households living in fuel poverty, www.highland.gov.uk/energyefficientscotland. Highland Council is proposing to use an allocation from this fund together with 2m from reserves in order to mitigate the fuel challenges faced by Highland residents this winter. At a full council meeting on Friday,. You can also get further advice about Welfare. In the longer term, this dire situation clearly demonstrates the pressing need for a UK wide, strategic review of our energy supply, market and infrastructure., Depute Leader Alasdair Christie added: Living with fuel poverty has far reaching impacts, particularly on health and wellbeing, as well as learning, employment and social networks. Scottish Housing News is your daily service for the latest news, jobs and events, delivered directly to your email inbox. Cllr Davidson said: Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Mr Stone added: We know our local authorities are under incredible pressure, not least because they have endured years of chronic underfunding from the SNP. With inflation threatening to spiral out of control and fuel bills. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies -. CAB Energy Advisers can be contacted on 01463 237664. The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund has been set up by the Council using Scottish Government funding which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. Crisis Grants for fuel support are already available via the Scottish Welfare Fund for those in crisis. A spokesman said: The Fuel Support Fund was established at the councils discretion using around 1m from the Scottish Governments Winter Support Fund and 2.24m from the councils reserves, to help mitigate the impacts of significant energy price and cost of living increases for hard pressed Highland residents. Applications for a directFuel Support Payment are now closed. Large sections of the Highland population do not have access to mains gas and are reliant on more expensive sources of domestic heating such as oil, wood, coal, and wood pellets. A spokesman said: "The Fuel Support Fund was established at the council's discretion using around 1m from the Scottish Government's Winter Support Fund and 2.24m from the council's. Where appropriate, eligible applicants will be awarded a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund before being considered for a grant from the local Fuel Support Fund. Full details including online application https://www.highland.gov.uk/fuelsupportfund, The councils Welfare Support Team provide free, impartial and confidential support to claim all entitlements including the Fuel Support Fund. The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund has been set up by the Council using Scottish Government funding which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. To help tenants reduce their overall energy usage, almost 90 energy saving cooking appliances have been distributed. Households in the Highland who are on low income and experiencing fuel insecurities as a result of COVID-19 can apply for a Fuel Support Fund from The Highland Council. Alternatively, you can email [emailprotected] for further information or telephone Home Energy Scotland for free on 0808 808 2282 for impartial energy advice, to discuss funding options currently available and assess your eligibility for the scheme. Without EES:ABS there is currently no other long-term support to households in fuel poverty and those vulnerable to living with the effects of a cold home. This discretionary fuel support scheme is still open and plans remain in place to ensure households who have not yet responded, will not lose out, he said. Council tax rules mean that there are some individuals on a low income who are exempt from council tax and therefore not entitled to council tax reduction. But the answer cannot be to make it harder for people to claim the support they are entitled to.. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Highland Council has therefore decided to use part of the Governments funding to set up a fuel support fund for those who are having difficulties paying for fuel for their homes.. Crisis Grants for fuel support are already available via the Scottish Welfare Fund for those in crisis. This site uses cookies. Where appropriate, eligible applicants will be awarded a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund before being considered for a grant from the local Fuel Support Fund. Automatically populate forms with your details. Could you spare five minutes of your time to complete our survey, it will help us improve customer experience. People on low incomes who are experiencing fuel insecurities can apply online here for a 60 non-repayable cash payment per application which is made to eligible applicants. Where appropriate, eligible applicants will be awarded a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund before being considered for a grant from the local Fuel Support Fund. Large sections of the Highland population do not have access to mains gas and are reliant on more expensive sources of domestic heating such as oil, wood, coal, and wood pellets. We are delighted to announce the arrival of grant support from SSE Renewables which, through the area-based scheme, will help us deliver efficiency savings to those households most in need.. The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund has been set up by the Council using Scottish Government funding which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. The scheme will also remain open for new applications to ensure that this support can still be accessed.. Hundreds of Highland households worried about rising fuel bills and the cost of living have been given much needed support from Albyn Housing Society this winter, through the housing association's Fuel Support Fund. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. All rights reserved. For example, 62% of the properties currently signed up for the 2022/23 air source heat pump programme are classed as extreme fuel poor. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism. Leader of The Highland Council Cllr Margaret Davidson said: Sadly, as a result of Covid-19, an increasing number of households in Highland are experiencing fuel insecurities. Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2023. All applicants will be offered a referral to Citizens Advice (CAB) for energy checks and expertise available from CAB as this may help to reduce domestic fuel bills. In addition, Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has a specialist team of Energy Advisors who can undertake a range of energy checks which are designed to help with reducing domestic fuel bills. All applicants will be offered a referral to Citizens Advice (CAB) for energy checks and expertise available from CAB as this may help to reduce domestic fuel bills. Large sections of the Highland population do not have access to mains gas and are reliant on more expensive sources of domestic heating such as oil, wood, coal, and wood pellets. There has been a tremendous response from across the Highlands for this important fuel support grant, put in place to help mitigate the costs of winter and the growing pressures on family incomes and finances, increasing unemployment and the uncertainty that lies ahead. 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Council leader Councillor Margaret Davidson said: Sadly, as a result of Covid-19, an increasing number of households in Highland are experiencing fuel insecurities. In some cases, the energy bill vouchers have been allowing families to pay off their debts. We are encouraging local members to promote this scheme through their ward meetings to highlight its many benefits., He added: On top of the financial savings the scheme also delivers significant carbon savings and enables householders to meet the challenges of climate change and improve properties energy efficiency rating in accordance with Scottish Government targets., "The Sustainable Development Fund is focused on creating lasting transformation in the Highlands. Councillor Matthew Reiss, vice chairman of the councils corporate resources committee, said 5,400 applications had been received in total. The new Household Support Fund will support millions of households in England and will be distributed by councils in England, who know their local areas best and can directly help those who. Click here to sign up to our curated newsletters. More than 85,000 worth of vouchers and equipment have been distributed to families across the area, helping their tenants to reduce their energy costs and pay their bills. Highland Park, . The Sustainable Development Fund supports strategic projects across the Highland local authority area and allows SSE to direct support to projects that can achieve significant impact in local communities. If you are an Albyn tenant, and are needing help paying your bills, please do get in touch with us or speak with your housing officer. Council tax rules mean that there are some individuals on a low income who are exempt from council tax and therefore not entitled to council tax reduction. He added: One of the key issues we have faced to date is a lack of sign-ups for the scheme. Using COVID-19 funding from the Scottish Government, this non-repayable grant provides a 60 payment per household for those who have been awarded council tax reduction and are having difficulties paying their fuel bills. The Fund has offered Highland Council 1m of grant funding to be spent over 2022/23 and 2023/24 with the option to extend funding to 2024/25 if necessary. 33% of households in Highland are experiencing fuel poverty compared to the national average of 24% and 22% of all households in Highland are facing extreme fuel poverty, which is nearly double the national average, at 12%. The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund has been set up by the council using Scottish Government funding which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. The Fund has offered Highland Council 1 million of grant funding to be spent over 2022/23 and 2023/24 with the option to extend funding to 2024/25 if necessary. Change). The Council is encouraging households to apply for its Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS) as part of plans to ease fuel poverty in the region. The low energy cooking solutions have been really popular, helping households to have a hot meal at a lower cost. At the end of October, the Scottish Government announced a 41 million Winter Support Fund for low-income families which includes 10m nationally to help those struggling to pay their fuel bills. Scottish Housing News is your daily service for the latest news, jobs and events, delivered directly to your email inbox.
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