£55m pledged to tackle fuel poverty in Scotland

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has launched ‘The Route Map to an Energy-Efficient Scotland’, which sets out measures it hopes will improve the energy efficiency of homes.

It’s hoped that all homes will achieve an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of at least Band C by 2040.

All landlords of privately rented homes will be required to achieve an energy performance certificate rating of Band E from April 2020 at change of tenancy, and then Band D from 2022.

All private rented properties will need to be EPC Band E by the end of March 2022 and Band D by the end of March 2025.

To support this, £49m of funding will be allocated to schemes which provide energy efficiency measures to Scottish households.

£5.5m will be spent on helping local authorities expand their existing energy efficiency and fuel poverty programmes. It will also be used to develop local heat and energy efficiency strategies and will make funding available to social landlords to help them install low carbon heating systems such as air and ground source heat pumps.

Ms Sturgeon said: ‘The Scottish government’s energy efficiency programme will help ensure all our buildings are warmer, greener and more energy efficient.

‘The major investment in this programme highlights our clear commitment to ensuring that we tackle fuel poverty and reduce greenhouse gas emissions – helping those on low incomes as well as protecting our environment.’

Nick Green, Savills UK Head of Energy said ‘While Scotland has been leading the way on the generation of renewable electricity, some might argue it has been an easy win, given our natural resources.

‘However, targets to reduce fuel poverty and greenhouse gas emissions will only be met if the consultation process is challenging and the resulting policy has teeth.’

Fabrice Leveque, of Scottish Renewables, said: ‘It is vital that the Scottish government progresses its proposals to support district heat networks and demonstrates how the programme will support technologies like heat pumps, biomass and solar to ensure that the heat we generate is not only used in the most efficient way but is low carbon too.’