Caithness energy customers – there is £9 million available to help with the cost of living crisis
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A further £9 million has been made available to help people struggling to heat their homes due to soaring energy bills and the cost of living.
The Scottish Government’s Home Heating Support Fund, administered by the charity Advice Direct Scotland (ADS), is available to those who are rationing energy to get by – regardless of the type of meter or fuel used.
Applications for the latest iteration of the fund are now open, with £9 million available.
It makes up part of the £30 million Fuel Insecurity Fund, which is designed to provide financial support to households unable to cope with rising costs.
ADS has worked on behalf of the Scottish Government to design and deliver the Home Heating Support Fund (HHSF) since 2020.
Since it began, more than £8 million has been administered as grants to 15,422 households struggling with the sharp rise in the cost of gas, electricity, and other fuel types.
It includes over £1.15 million in fuel vouchers for vulnerable prepayment meter customers, delivered in partnership with PayPoint and the Post Office.
Over £452,000 of support has been paid to customers who are reliant on unregulated fuels such as coal, oil, and LPG.
Josephine Iba, 33, from Aberdeen, received £950 from the HHSF. Her family’s household energy usage is high as they have to run medical equipment in the home to support her son’s complex health needs.
She said: “The money we received took away the pressure of falling into debt and gave us time to get ahead with our bills – it was a huge relief for us as a family.
“Sometimes our energy bill can be up to £600 a month.
“All of the advice during this cost-of-living crisis has been about how to reduce energy usage, without thinking about people who are depending on energy to live.
“It gave us some comfort to know that this fund was looking out for families like ours with complex health needs.”
Individuals can apply directly through the website at www.homeheatingadvice.scot if they have received money and/or energy advice from an accredited agency. Alternatively, applications can be made through ADS, or through an accredited partner organisation.
ADS, which runs energy advice service energyadvice.scot, said there had been a growing need for support over the past three years.
The HHSF is open for applications until March 31, 2024, or until funds are exhausted.
