Local windfarm provides £300,000 energy fund for vulnerable residents

Low income households in North Ayrshire, Scotland, can now receive financial support from a successful renewables project in the area. 

Community Windpower and Dalry Parish Boundary Trust have announced a new fund that can help vulnerable people heat their homes and pay for energy bills.

The scheme, currently worth £300,000, is now open to applicants online. Administered by Advice Direct Scotland, anyone living in the KA24 postcode is eligible, providing they are struggling with utility payments. The value of each grant will be gauged on individual circumstances, with money paid in PayPoint or Post Office vouchers, or sent directly to energy suppliers. 

Priorities will be given to children in poverty, people living with cancer, those in receipt of a disability benefit, pensioners, and households using large amounts of energy for medical equipment. The scheme follows the model of a similar initiative in East Lothian, which has so far helped 1,400 households with their energy costs. 

‘The funding support offered is invaluable in helping people within the Dalry area, especially those who are vulnerable. This is particularly important for those with disabilities or medical conditions that make reliance on medical equipment an expensive necessity,’ said Pamela Stewart, Deputy Chief Executive of Advice Direct Scotland. ‘We are proud to be administering this second fund in partnership with Community Windpower and our new partners at the Dalry Parish Boundary Trust.’

‘Following the amazing success of our East Lothian Energy Fund, where £1m helped over 1,400 vulnerable families and individuals in the region, it is great to see a similar initiative supporting the more focused area of Dalry, North Ayrshire,’ said Rob Fryer, Director of Civils and Business Development at Community Windpower.

‘This really reinforces that local renewable energy projects do make a meaningful difference to their host communities and are seen as a valuable asset by many locals,’ he continued. ‘We have worked alongside Dalry Parish Boundary Trust and Advice Direct Scotland to deliver this fund, which will be a great success. Our community offering throughout Scotland has now reached over £8m which is simply staggering.’

Read about the small actions that can lead to significant savings on energy use here.

Image: Hugo Delauney