The Liberal Democrat MP said: It is entirely wrong that the council is telling people that they must apply online to access the Fuel Support Payment, despite operating a phone support line for the expressed purpose of helping people claim their benefits. Fuel Support Fund 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:. 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. The council will automatically make the March payments, increasing the total grant payment to 120. All Rights Reserved. Members of the Highland Council agreed support totalling almost 3 million to help people currently living in fuel poverty due to the rise in prices. 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. 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. 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. Applications for a directFuel Support Payment are now closed. Fuel Support Fund for low income Highland households experiencing fuel insecurities. Cllr Bremner also highlighted that the scheme is open to all owner occupier and privately rented properties who meet eligibility criteria and encouraged members of the public to make inquiries about the scheme. Learn how your comment data is processed. Highland Council's fuel support fund is to be extended until March, councillors have agreed. In addition, Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has a specialist team of Energy Advisors who can undertake a range of energy checks which are designed to help with reducing domestic fuel bills. The scheme will also remain open for new applications to ensure that this support can still be accessed.. Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2023. 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. This includes energy switching, reducing fuel bills and obtaining grants to improve the fuel efficiency of individual homes.. The funding will help many vulnerable residents benefit from warm, sustainable homes for years to come.". In addition, Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has a specialist team of Energy Advisors who can undertake a range of energy checks which are designed to help with reducing domestic fuel bills. 2023- Highland News and Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Low income households within Highland experiencing fuel insecurities can apply for a non-repayable 60 grant. For details on how to sign up for the programme visit Highland Councils dedicated webpage. Low income . People on low incomes who are experiencing fuel insecurities can apply online here for a 60 non-repayable cash payment per application which is made to eligible applicants. 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. 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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. 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. 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 funding has a discretionary element, enabling the council to make grants in some other circumstances. 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. Could you spare five minutes of your time to complete our survey, it will help us improve customer experience. More than 3,000 people could miss out. Full details including online application https://www.highland.gov.uk . Mr Stone quizzed local authority officials after a constituent without access to a computer or smartphone had to ask a neighbour for assistance. 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. 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. The 270,000. More than 4,500 north households benefited in the first three weeks of the scheme, launched at the end of January. Using Covid-19 funding from the Scottish Government the council can make a 60 grant per. Highland Councils fuel support fund is to be extended until March, councillors have agreed. 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. 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. 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. Scottish Housing News is your daily service for the latest news, jobs and events, delivered directly to your email inbox. Mr Stone said that three days before the councils deadline of February 13, just 81% of eligible people had applied for the funding. 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%. 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 new Household Support Fund will support millions of households in England and will be distributed by councils in England, who know their local areas best and can directly help those who. Over the last nine years the scheme has leveraged around 34 million of external funding to the Highlands to deliver energy efficiency measures to over 3,100 privately owned and privately rented properties throughout the Highlands. The low energy cooking solutions have been really popular, helping households to have a hot meal at a lower cost. People on low incomes who are experiencing fuel insecurities can apply online here for a 60 non-repayable cash payment per application which is made to eligible applicants. But the answer cannot be to make it harder for people to claim the support they are entitled to.. The EES:ABS grant and new funding will be used to reduce/remove household contributions on a . 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. 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. Low Subscribe to The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community. Using COVID-19 funding from the Scottish Government, this non-repayable grant provides a 60 payment per household for those who have been awarded council tax reduction and are having difficulties paying their fuel bills. The Scottish Government grant is available for owner occupiers and private rented properties subject to eligibility (see table below), grant funding cannot be used to cover installation costs for social properties (either Council or Registered Landlord). 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. Enquire throughwww.highland.gov.uk/energyefficientscotlandfor more information. This site uses cookies. Crisis Grants for fuel support are already available via the Scottish Welfare Fund for those in crisis. 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. This comes in addition to other support mechanisms, such as the 400 discount to energy bills from the UK Government over the winter months. 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. More than 200 warm winter duvets have also been distributed. The funding will be used exclusively to support Highland households in extreme fuel poverty. 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 been delivering the Scottish Governments Energy Efficiency Scotland Area Based Scheme for over nine years, which offers households the opportunity to benefit from grant funded innovative, energy efficiency measures, which have the potential to improve peoples living conditions. 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. 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. 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. 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.. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies -. As this is a cash-limited fund, the Scheme will close on February 28. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. Due to rising costs in energy prices, it is anticipated that these figures will increase significantly. Households are advised to contact their energy supplier to check eligibility. 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. On 26 January 2022, you had a personal exemption from Council Tax on the grounds that you were Under 18, a care leaver, receiving/providing care elsewhere, Severely Mentally ImpairedAND you are in receipt of one of the following qualifying benefits: If you require further help or advice regarding the 180 fuel support payment, please contact us by email fuelsupportpayment@highland.gov.uk. On 26 January 2022, you had a personal exemption from Council Tax on the grounds that you were a student. Copyright SSE 2023. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Highland Council has unanimously agreed to provide almost 3 million to help households in fuel poverty in the Highlands this winter. 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. CAB Energy Advisers can be contacted on 01463 237664. Low Scottish Government figures indicate 33% of households in Highland are experiencing fuel poverty, compared to the national average of 24%. 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. 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.