Scot Gov will take 25 years to eradicate fuel poverty unless it changes policy
The Scottish Government will take a quarter of a century to eradicate fuel poverty if it sticks with its current policy say the Scottish Greens.
Analysis by the Greens show that it will take almost 25 years to help all of the 748,000 homes in fuel poverty in Scotland with its HEEPs programme, which assisted 30,000 homes in 2014-15.
Scottish Green MSPs, who have pushed for anti-poverty measures in the Scottish budget, will continue to lobby finance secretary Derek Mackay to commit to increased funding for energy efficient housing.
Andy Wightman MSP, housing spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said:
“We know that investing in energy efficient homes is one of the best ways to tackle fuel poverty, but if the government continues at its current rate, it will take 25 years for all vulnerable people and families in Scotland to have decent warm homes. Ministers have agreed with Green calls for warm homes to become a National Infrastructure Priority, but we now need to see the money allocated to this in the draft budget be spent in full, should it be passed.
“In a parliamentary debate in November, Greens proposed an increase to the government’s suggested annual budget of £125million for fuel poverty, but SNP, Conservative and Labour MSPs voted it down. We've also proposed the creation of thousands of apprenticeships in energy efficiency to tackle the skills gap and get the sector up to capacity.
“The Green MSPs will keep on campaigning on these issues so we end the scandal of people being unable to heat their homes in energy-rich Scotland. It also gives Scotland an opportunity to create quality construction jobs and get our climate targets back on track. Those people living in fuel poverty cannot wait 25 years for government help.”