Council Look To External Funders To Help Tackle Fuel Poverty & Meet Energy Efficient Home Standards

6th October 2023

Photograph of Council Look To External Funders To Help Tackle Fuel Poverty & Meet Energy Efficient Home Standards

Highland Council has been investigating ways in which it can harness external funding to help meet its statutory obligations around energy efficient social housing and at the same time tackle fuel poverty.

Members at yesterday's (5 October 2023) Climate Change Committee were asked to note opportunities to expand Energy Company Obligation funding to Council housing stock.

Yesterday's report outlined that the Council has identified five social properties in Caol which are part of a pilot project to retrofit homes with energy saving installations.

The local authority faces significant challenges undertaking the required energy efficiency upgrades to Council houses to ensure compliance with EESSH2 (Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing).

With the Council facing a massive budget deficit, funding to upgrade housing stock to meet the national standards far exceeds available budget with the Housing and Revenue Account (HRA).

Therefore, officers have been looking at external funding opportunities to help meet those targets. One such funding source which is being looked at is the Energy Company Obligation Fund (ECO).

Chair of the Climate Change Committee, Cllr Karl Rosie said: "In order to meet its statutory and legal obligations the Council has quite rightly investigated all available options.

“To progress with these required upgrade works it was crucial that the Council sought external investment and it is pleasing to see those inquiries in action on the Caol pilot."

He added: “ECO funding will allow the Council to access significant levels of external funding to undertake energy efficiency works on eligible social properties, not just in Caol but across Highland.

“Fuel poverty in Highland is at a disproportionately high level when compared to the rest of Scotland and part of Highland Council's recently launched ‘Our Future Highland’ administration programme focuses on working together to improve quality of life and opportunities for Highland people.”

Several Council owned Swedish Timber properties have been identified in Caol as part of a pilot which is currently at the feasibility stage.

The pilot will undertake a whole house retrofit offering:

External wall insulation

Loft insulation

Air source heat pump

Solar PV with battery storage

The five properties have been surveyed and concept design reports produced for each, outlining proposed actions and scopes.

The Council will now agree technical specifications and the scope of the work with the contractor, the contractor will then submit a revised project cost and outline ECO funding available and the costs will then be reviewed along with the availability of ECO funding internally and look for opportunities to align with the already running Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS).

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

26/6/2026 : Local Authority

The Highland Council agree next steps for Visitor Levy scheme

The Highland Council has agreed to continue working with the tourism industry to co-design a draft Visitor Levy scheme for the Highlands.   It follows the Council securing greater flexibility from The Scottish Government on how a Visitor Levy could be applied and administered, after feedback from accommodation providers and industry groups across the Highlands about a percentage-based charge.  

26/6/2026 : Local Authority

Highland Wealth Fund to create lasting legacy from renewable energy development

The Highland Council has agreed plans to establish a Highland Wealth Fund to create a lasting legacy from renewable energy development and support long-term benefits for communities across the region.   Inspired by the principles of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, the new partnership-led fund will support strategic, regional, area and local priority projects, helping to ensure that the opportunities created by the energy transition deliver lasting value for current and future generations.  

25/6/2026 : Local Authority

Apply For Education Maintenance Allowance If you are 16 to 19 years old

If you are 16 to 19 years old, at school or college, and come from a low-income household you may be able to get financial help from an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).   EMA is a weekly allowance of £30 per week, paid during term time.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council launches new platform to improve online engagement

The Highland Council has today (Monday 22 June) launched a new online engagement platform which will transform how residents, communities and visitors engage with consultations.   The easy-to-use platform allows anyone to quickly see what projects and proposals are open for consultation and engagement.  

22/6/2026 : Local Authority

A Tale of Two Schools - Is Thurso Next? As Moray Council Shelves £100million school plan for Buckie

When Moray Council officially shelved plans for a new Buckie High School, it sent a shockwave through communities across the north of Scotland.  The message was clear: in the current economic climate, even the most desperate promises of new school builds can vanish overnight when balanced against a massive budget deficit.  

19/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland creatives help shape UK City of Culture 2029 bid

Cultural artists and creators from across the Highlands have gathered at Strathpeffer Pavilion to share their ideas and ambitions for the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029.   The bid, which is being taken forward under the name Beò 2029 the Gaelic word for living brought together around 80 creative practitioners from across the region for a cultural conversation exploring what culture means in the Highlands, what stories the region wants to tell, and the legacy for the future.  

18/6/2026 : Local Authority

 
Great Glen Way route improvements now open

A new improved section of the Great Glen Way is now open, offering walkers, wheelers and visitors a safer and more scenic way to experience this popular trail.   The Highland Council has completed work on over 3km of the route, moving it away from the public road and onto a new off‑road path.  

14/6/2026 : Local Authority

How Caithness Can Strengthen Its Case for Major Capital Investment in an Era of Shrinking Budgets

Caithness has reached a moment where the old assumptions about public investment no longer hold.  For decades, the region could rely on a three‑pillar system: HIE to drive economic development, Scottish Enterprise and national programmes to support growth, and Highland Council to deliver the infrastructure that underpins daily life.  

14/6/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

When the Money Moves South: How HIE’s Shrinking Budget Has Hit Caithness and Why “Record Funding” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

For decades, Highlands and Islands Enterprise was the economic backbone of the far north.  It wasn’t perfect, but it was one of the few institutions that understood the basic truth of life in Caithness: distance costs money, and if the state doesn’t step in, the market won’t.  

11/6/2026 : Local Authority

Highland Council's £20 Million Transformation Gamble – What Happens if the Savings Never Arrive?

For most people, council committee papers and audit reports are not the sort of documents that attract much attention.  They are full of technical language, financial terminology and governance structures that can make even the most determined reader give up after a few pages.