Fuel poverty

Fuel poverty is when you cannot afford to heat your home. This can mean living in a cold, damp house, struggling to pay your fuel bills or both. Tackling fuel poverty is an integral part of the service that local bureaux provide to their communities. The advice and support given to clients with benefits, housing, debt or utility enquiries, has a direct impact on alleviating fuel poverty.

CAS is a member of the Scottish Government's Fuel Poverty Forum and chairs the Income Maximisation Sub Group. We also work closely with Energy Action Scotland, energywatch and Age Concern Scotland on issues of joint concern.

Recent successes include:

• The benefits check in the Central Heating Programme will now be carried out by the Pensions Service rather than the managing agent.  This reduces bureaucracy for applicants and also enables home visits where required.
• The benefits check is also at the beginning of the process rather than the end, resulting in months of additional income for those who are eligible.
• The Central Heating Programme has been extended to partial and obsolete systems for people who are over 80.

A major concern is the continuing increases in the cost of fuel.  As prices rise, many people are likely to fall back into fuel poverty. This highlights the importance of lasting improvements in income and housing in tackling fuel poverty.

Read our response to the Scottish Fuel Poverty Statement, which explores some of these issues.