CAB Energy Advisers can be contacted on 01463 237664. 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. Low income households within Highland experiencing fuel insecurities can apply for a non-repayable 60 grant. Fuel poverty campaigners call for more ambitious targets, Fuel poverty among Scottish households drops by 4%, Fuel poverty initiatives named amongst engineering projects of the future, Fuel poverty strategy must go further to give assurance that Scotland will meet fuel poverty targets. nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism. 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 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.. 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. You can also get further advice about Welfare. Highland Council is set to receive an allocation from this fund in order to mitigate the fuel challenges faced by residents in the region. This site uses cookies. Could you spare five minutes of your time to complete our survey, it will help us improve customer experience. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on 28 February 2021. Low income . But the answer cannot be to make it harder for people to claim the support they are entitled to.. Full details including online application https://www.highland.gov.uk . 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. 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. Highland Council and SSE Renewables team up to offer support to those facing extreme fuel poverty02 Dec 2022. 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. 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. As part of the scheme, more than 300 households have been provided with 230 or more towards their energy bills. Draught proofing kits, carpets, and thermal curtains and door fittings have been provided to help keep homes warm. All Rights Reserved. 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. Albyn Housing Society have been using the contact with tenants to highlight other sources of support too, including those provided by the Highland Council and their local Citizens Advice Bureau. 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. As well as providing a 245 voucher for her energy bills, we were also able to supply an air fryer, a more energy efficient kettle and winter duvets for her young family. The Cost-of-Living Crisis is having a devastating impact on households across Highland. 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. George Mitchell: Should we have the right to die? Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The fuel support scheme was launched in the latter part of January last year. 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. Councillor Davidson added: Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. 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 Leader of the Council, Cllr Margaret Davidson added Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. 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.. 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. 2023- Highland News and Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2023. Highland Council said it did not comment on individual cases. 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 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. Households in the Highland region, 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 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. Low Our welfare staff have been working tirelessly to do their absolute best for our communities and will continue to do so.. The Welfare Support Team provides free, impartial and confidential support on fuel insecurity concerns, in addition to offering assistance to check eligibility and submit a claim for all benefits and entitlements. 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. Councillor Margaret Davidson, council leader, said: Sadly, as a result of Covid-19, an increasing number of households in Highland are experiencing fuel 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.. Households are advised to contact their energy supplier to check eligibility. 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 EES:ABS grant and new funding will be used to reduce/remove household contributions on a . Figures also estimate that 22% of Highland households are facing extreme fuel poverty. 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. It is clear to us that this fund is making a real difference. Low income . More than 200 warm winter duvets have also been distributed. Cllr Davidson said: Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. Using Covid-19 funding from the Scottish Government the council can make a 60 grant per. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. 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 council will automatically make the March payments, increasing the total grant payment to 120. 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. 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.. Copyright SSE 2023. 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. 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. Mr Stone said that three days before the councils deadline of February 13, just 81% of eligible people had applied for the funding. Crisis Grants for fuel support are already available via the Scottish Welfare Fund for those in crisis. Enquire throughwww.highland.gov.uk/energyefficientscotlandfor more information. More than 85,000 worth of vouchers and equipment have been distributed to families across the area, helping their tenants to reduce their 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 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.. To enable payments to be made to all those eligible, it has been necessary to collect details from some households. Could you spare five minutes of your time to complete our survey, it will help us improve customer experience. Call free on 0800 090 1004 or email welfare.support@highland.gov.uk. This site uses cookies. 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. 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. More than 900 households have also taken up the option of a home energy health check from their local Citizens Advice. Getting in touch with the Welfare Support Team is the first step to maximising your potential income and managing your money well. 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.. Click here to sign up to our curated newsletters. Cllr Davidson said: Working from home has increased the financial pressures for many of our households. 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. 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. At a time when bills are skyrocketing, we cannot delay getting this money into the hands of those who need it most.. Low Applications for a directFuel Support Payment are now closed. Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2023. | Images submitted. Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood, https://www.highland.gov.uk/fuelsupportfund. 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. 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.. 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. 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. 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. Tenants can access this fund by emailing energyfund@albynhousing.org.uk or by speaking to their housing officer. Thousands of vulnerable people in the north could miss out on cash support to ease the impact of soaring fuel bills after the local authority insisted applications be made online. 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. As part of the scheme, more than 300 households have been provided with 230 or more towards their energy bills. Highland Council has unanimously agreed to provide almost 3 million to help households in fuel poverty in the Highlands this winter. 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 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. If you were eligible but did not apply for a direct payment, your Council Tax account will have been credited and a new Council Tax bill issued to confirm. 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. 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. 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 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. With just two days until the deadline, only 81% of eligible householders have claimed the payment. 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%. It is crucial that we encourage as many people as possible to sign up to the Energy Efficiency Scotland Area Based Scheme to benefit from grant funding to carry out energy efficiency improvements to their homes, improving comfort levels and attempt to minimise the impact of rising fuel costs. 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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 funding will help many vulnerable residents benefit from warm, sustainable homes for years to come.". A link has been emailed to you - check your inbox. Low income households within Highland experiencing fuel insecurities can apply for a non-repayable 60 grant. He said more than 3,000 eligible people could be denied the money in February, in part as a result of the councils decision not to offer a telephone number. All Rights Reserved. Highland Park, . 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. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on February 28. This is where the SSE Renewables Grant can help those experiencing extreme fuel poverty. Proposals to provide almost 3 million to help households in fuel poverty in the Highlands this winter will be considered by councillors on Thursday. (LogOut/ 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. 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. George Mitchell: Should we have the right to die? We had contact with one mum who had been very distressed about the cost of energy and providing for her children.
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