Levels Of Fuel Poverty Higher In Rural Scotland - Caithness and Sutherland Highlighted In The Report
28th April 2023
Research published by Changeworks sets out the impact of far higher levels of fuel poverty on the physical and mental health of people living in rural areas of Scotland.
‘A Perfect Storm: Fuel Poverty in Rural Scotland' was commissioned by the Rural & Islands Housing Associations Forum (RIHAF), the Highlands & Islands Housing Associations Affordable Warmth group (HIHAAW) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
The research sets out the drivers, impacts and extent of fuel poverty in rural Scotland, and also identifies solutions. These are presented in the accompanying document Fuel Poverty in Rural Scotland: The Solutions.
Section 7 of the report from page 43 highlights the issues for Caithness and Sutherland
Fuel bills
We modelled the yearly fuel bills needed to meet the standard heating regime in a 3-bedroom property. In Caithness and Sutherland, the modelled yearly bill was £3,132 per year - one-quarter higher than the national average of £2,450. The modelling only accounts for differences in fuel types and their costs and does
not consider behaviour or the energy efficiency of properties.
Caithness and Sutherland have more properties using electricity, oil, LPG, and solid fuels than the rest of Scotland, which explains this
difference. The most common fuel type, oil, is used by 44% of households, compared to 5% in Scotland.
----------------------------
Josiah Lockhart, Changeworks chief executive, said: "This report highlights an unjust reality; rural Scotland experiences higher levels of fuel poverty than the rest of the country. Even though people in rural areas are on average often using less energy than the rest of the UK, bills in rural Scotland tend to be higher.
"These findings bring to light not only the scale of the issue, but also show that any proposed solutions need to be more specific to the unique challenges faced.
"We need to listen to people in these communities who've been given a platform in this research and deliver resources that are both proportionate and relevant in order to alleviate fuel poverty."
You can read the report and our how we can all best tackle fuel poverty in Scotland by clicking below:
A Perfect Storm Fuel Poverty in Rural Scotland
Pdf 53 Pages
Fuel Poverty in Rural Scotland The Solutions
Pdf 23 Pages
Changeworks
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Shell-volution is an ambitious industry-wide initiative supported by the public sector and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) which has been awarded £4.4 million of investment from the UK Government as part of the Islands Growth Deal. This innovative, ground-breaking project is set to transform shellfish aquaculture, bringing sustainable growth and additional quality jobs in mussel farming, based on detailed investigations (mapping and monitoring) and creating a model for improving security and reliability of wild spat recruitment, through industry best practice.
A Nairn-based foundry, which has achieved international recognition for its larger-than-life bronze castings has invested in a £200,000 expansion to help it reach greater heights. An award of £60,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has helped Black Isle Bronze to improve infrastructure and purchase equipment to extend the range of projects the firm can undertake.
Young businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to increase productivity, innovation and employment can apply for funding from HIE. The fourth round of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Young Business Capital Grant (YBCG) is now open to businesses that have been trading for less than five years with up to 250 full-time equivalent employees.
Ambitious young businesspeople in the Highlands and Islands have just one more chance to benefit from a tailored support programme. IMPACT30 was launched by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 2018 to help nurture and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The winners of the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Awards (HIFAD) 2024 were announced on Friday 1 November at a prestigious ceremony at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness. Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the awards celebrate the talent, quality and diversity across food, drink and hospitality in the Highlands and Islands.
A family run engineering fabrication firm in Caithness is investing in a project to improve productivity, grow business turnover and create new jobs. Gow's Lybster Limited has been working with development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) over several years to develop its growth plans.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will return to Norway to host the Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor 2025. The Scottish aquaculture supply chain is invited to register their interest to exhibit as part of the pavilion or join the wider Scottish delegation.
A young engineer working on Britain's deepest nuclear clean-up project has been recognised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Liam Gordon (27) won the Young Chemical Engineer of the Year award at the annual showcase event of the Aberdeen branch of IChemE, the professional body for chemical engineers in the UK.
Food and Drink TechHUB will provide financial and advice support to help businesses, including social and community enterprises, with commercial growth and net zero transition activities. Small to medium sized enterprises in the Highland Council area that operate in the food and drink sector and its supply chain are expected to benefit from a new programme of support launched his week.
Businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations can now apply to a new Green Grant Fund launched on Thursday 26 September 2024. The three-year £2.7m fund was developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
