More than 900 households have also taken up the option of a home energy health check from their local Citizens Advice. 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. All rights reserved. Households are continuing to provide their details by various channels including the online form on the councils website, by visiting a council service or access point and by contacting their local Citizens Advice Bureau or the councils welfare team.. The Highland Council letter, sent to over 16,000 eligible constituents, stated: To receive your 180 payment, you must complete our online form.. 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 funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. Council leader Councillor Margaret Davidson said: Sadly, as a result of Covid-19, an increasing number of households in Highland are experiencing fuel insecurities. The 270,000 Fuel Support Fund (FSF) has been set up by the council using Scottish Government money which can be used flexibly to alleviate financial insecurities. 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. 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. To help tenants reduce their overall energy usage, almost 90 energy saving cooking appliances have been distributed. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. Scottish Housing News is your daily service for the latest news, jobs and events, delivered directly to your email inbox. He added that in response to the unprecedented demand from Highland residents in need of financial and other support, the council has increased welfare staff numbers and set up a dedicated fuel support telephone number, enabling households to call 01349 781990 to provide their details. 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. Using Covid-19 funding from the Scottish Government the council can make a 60 grant per. Highland Council and SSE Renewables are joining forces to help Highland households facing extreme fuel poverty make energy saving adaptations to their homes. More than 200 warm winter duvets have also 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. 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. Enquire through our Energy Efficient Scotland pagefor more information. Low income . 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. Signing-up gives you the following: Single sign on for all council services (not including eplanning) Save forms for completion later. 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. Low 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.. 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 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.. 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. 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 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.. 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. Using Covid-19 funding from the Scottish Government the council can make a 60 grant per household to help those who have been awarded council tax reduction and are having difficulties paying their fuel bills. Fuel Support Fund 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:. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on February 28. 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. We had contact with one mum who had been very distressed about the cost of energy and providing for her children. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on 28 February 2021. 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. Mr Stone queried why it did not state the payment could be claimed by speaking to an advisor over the phone using the councils welfare support line. Click here to sign up to our curated newsletters. To enable payments to be made to all those eligible, it has been necessary to collect details from some households. More than 3,000 people could miss out. Low income households within Highland experiencing fuel insecurities can apply for a non-repayable 60 grant. 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. 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.. Scottish Government figures indicate 33% of households in Highland are experiencing fuel poverty, compared to the national average of 24%. Low income . 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. 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. A payment of 180 will now be made to around 16,440 eligible Highland households where residents are in receipt of means-tested council tax reduction. 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. Crisis Grants for fuel support are already available via the Scottish Welfare Fund for those in crisis. 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. The significant recent increases in fuel prices will place even greater pressures on an increased number of Highland residents. Cllr Bremner also highlighted that the scheme is open to all owner occupier and privately rented properties who meet eligibility criteria and encouraged members of the public to make inquiries about the scheme. Wherever possible this significant fund, totalling 3.24m, is quickly putting money into peoples pockets without them having to take any action at all, and the majority of eligible households are due to receive their payments next week. 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. (LogOut/ Proposals to provide almost 3m to help households in fuel poverty in Highland this winter will be considered by members at the meeting of full Council on 9 December. Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2023. 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 1 million investment in improving energy efficiency for Highland households is the largest donation made by the fund. 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. The Cost-of-Living Crisis is having a devastating impact on households across Highland. Kirsty Morrison, group chief executive of Albyn Housing Society, said: Feedback from tenants about the Fuel Support Fund has been great so far. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. It was therefore not feasible to include their number on the letters., Despite the letters stating residents must make their claim online, the council added: Customers who prefer to make contact by telephone can use one of our many telephone numbers that are well established and freely available.. 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. 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. 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. 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 grant from Highland Council. 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. An outline of 1.4 miles of Green Bay Road in Highland Park that is set for an overhaul beginning in 2024 or 2025. They can be contacted by phone on 0800 090 1004 or by e-mailwelfare.support@highland.gov.uk. 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. Mr Reiss said: The energy expertise within Citizens Advice means that help available for individual households is identified and accessed. 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. 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 low energy cooking solutions have been really popular, helping households to have a hot meal at a lower cost. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood, https://www.highland.gov.uk/fuelsupportfund. The funding has a discretionary element, enabling the council to make grants in some other circumstances. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Crisis Grants for fuel support are already available via the Scottish Welfare Fund for those in crisis. The welfare team have now processed over 86% of eligible people and are continuing to support the remaining households to provide the relevant details to enable the funds to be paid. 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 associations Fuel Support Fund. The SSE Renewable fund is part of the organisations commitment to the Scottish Governments Good Practice Principals for Community Benefits from Onshore Wind. 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. 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 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. Leader of Highland Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: Highland is experiencing some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in Scotland. In some cases, the energy bill vouchers have been allowing families to pay off their debts. 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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 . 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. However, a portion of the fund is helping those who are most in need, regardless of their housing situation. (LogOut/ More than 4,500 north households benefited in the first three weeks of the scheme, launched at the end of January. Fuel Support Fund for low income Highland households experiencing fuel insecurities. Getting in touch with the Welfare Support Team is the first step to maximising your potential income and managing your money well. The funding will help many vulnerable residents benefit from warm, sustainable homes for years to come.". 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. nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism. The 270,000. Learn how your comment data is processed. Could you spare five minutes of your time to complete our survey, it will help us improve customer experience. 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. This site uses cookies. 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. 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. This site uses cookies. Mr Stone said that three days before the councils deadline of February 13, just 81% of eligible people had applied for the funding. 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.. 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 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. Cllr Davidson said: Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. This included air fryers, slow cookers, microwaves and energy efficient kettles. 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. 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.