£4m fund to help residents – including those in Caithness – struggling with energy bills
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
More than 400 charities, organisations and advisers have signed up to refer people struggling with their energy bills to a £4 million support fund.
The Scottish Government scheme is being administered by national advice service Advice Direct Scotland (ADS), and ‘referral partners’ can still register to help their clients hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
Registrations remain open and applications for financial support can be made until the end of March.
Thaw Orkney, a charitable organisation that assists fuel poor households, has been able to secure individual grants averaging around £350 to dozens of households since the fund opened in December – making payments directly to people's energy providers or supporting clients with weekly top-up texts.
These awards are helping households to manage their energy bills or reduce their debts, sometimes even clearing arrears altogether.
Rachael Taylor, 31, received £350 towards her energy bill through Thaw Orkney after the cost of her electricity more than doubled in the winter months – leaving her having to choose between heating her home or refuelling her car.
“It puts my head above water financially and means I don’t have to stress over where it’s all going,” she said. Rachael, who is from Orkney and lives alone, said: “My bills in winter absolutely sky-rocket, they go from around £100 a month to £250 a month.
“I have very little heating on in my house and tend to grab a jumper and a couple of blankets when it gets chilly. I’ve been dealing with Thaw since last year when I had problems with my electricity, and they’ve been wonderful in signposting what’s available. The only way I could afford to pay for these bills would be to not put fuel in my car, which when you live in a remote or a rural area is really important.
“Thaw told me they could support me through the Home Heating Support Fund (HHSF) which has been a massive help. The £350 is more than a month and a half of electricity for me."
Craig Nisbet, a community support officer at Thaw Orkney, told of the huge difference the fund has made to his customers and encouraged other organisations to register to become referral partners.
He said: "Having access to this fund this year means I am making some wonderful phone calls where I'm getting to tell people 'your child will be warm this winter'."
Charities, housing associations, and community organisations which provide energy or debt advice, are encouraged to register online so that they can seek funding for people they support.
Targeted funding from the HHSF will reflect each individual’s circumstances, with extra support available for households where one person is over 75, living with a disability or illness, and/or living in a remote or island community.
Payments start at £100, rising to £1000 to clear outstanding debt, with the money paid directly to suppliers on behalf of the household. Eligibility is based on households which are "self-rationing" their energy, meaning those who are deliberately limiting their energy use so that they can afford to spend money on other goods or services.
Payments can be for electricity, oil, gas, LPG, coal or other forms of heating, and are made directly to the supplier. Individuals cannot apply directly to the fund.
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of ADS, said: “Since launching the scheme, more than 400 referral partners have registered and we’re receiving hundreds of applications on behalf of their clients who are struggling with energy bills.This demonstrates the scale of the cost-of-living crisis."
The HHSF is open until March 31 and applications can be made on behalf of individuals by ‘referral partners’ through www.homeheatingadvice.scot.
