Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, believes there should be reference to fuel poverty in Scotland’s Programme for Government.
He said: “There are hundreds of thousands of households in Scotland struggling with the ongoing and accelerating cost of living crisis, yet despite the Programme for Government running to almost 25,000 words, there is no mention of ‘fuel poverty’.
“The return of the Heat in Buildings Bill is overdue, but it will need to include minimum energy efficiency standards, a duty to prioritise those in fuel poverty and a firm link to the Government’s own statutory fuel poverty targets.
“While the statement commits to supporting clean heating and energy efficiency measures for around 100,000 properties, this would appear to be five more years of business as usual rather than a strategy to deliver on clean heating for Scotland’s homes.
“There is a welcome commitment to explore financial support for people facing high electricity costs due to life-saving equipment in their homes and to help meet the energy costs of those with a terminal illness.
“But there is nothing on a fuel poverty crisis fund, nothing on energy debt and the social tariff scheme referenced in last year’s Programme for Government has been dropped entirely.”
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