The number of Scots living in fuel poverty is on the rise with more than one third of households struggling to pay their heating bills.
The Scottish House Condition Survey found 861,000 – or 34 per cent – of households were in fuel poverty in 2023 – up 31 per cent the year before.
The survey was carried out before the UK Government announced the Winter Fuel Payment for older people would become means-tested.
Fuel poverty is defined as someone who spends more than 10 per cent of their income on energy. Some 491,000 households – accounting for 19.4 per cent of the total – were estimated to be living in extreme fuel poverty in 2023.
Those spending more than 20 per cent of their income on energy are defined as being in extreme fuel poverty.
The survey also shows 61 per cent of dwellings in Scotland are now rated as EPC band C or higher – up 37 percentage points since 2010.
Mark Griffin, Scottish Labour housing spokesman, said: “This is the shameful legacy of the last Tory government and the current SNP government.
“The Tories caused economic carnage and the SNP has failed to upgrade Scottish homes with the speed needed, leaving thousands of Scots stuck in fuel poverty.
“Labour is working to clean up the Tories’ mess, and GB Energy will drive down bills for good by delivering cheaper, cleaner energy – but the SNP cannot walk away from its responsibilities.
“Scotland’s housing emergency means that too many Scots are living in homes that are not fit for purpose, but year after year the SNP has raided energy efficiency schemes.
“We urgently need a real plan to address this scandal and upgrade Scottish homes – meaning lower bills, less fuel poverty, and lower emissions.”
Debbie Horne, Scotland policy and public affairs manager at Independent Age, said: “This is extremely concerning and shows a step-change will be required to meet Scotland’s fuel poverty targets.
“Cold homes are hazardous to health, especially for older people. Every day, our helpline hears from people in later life who are wearing a coat indoors, washing less and skipping meals. In a socially just and wealthy nation, no older person should be in fuel poverty.”
Horne welcomed the Scottish Government’s call for a social tariff to be put in place, but she said “there is more that can be done”.
She added: “We’re calling on the Scottish Government to urgently create a strategy to tackle pensioner poverty. With 317,000 older households in fuel poverty, this can’t come soon enough.
“Today’s figures underscore the need for strategic action to lower bills by improving energy efficiency support and making sure the energy social security older people can access is sufficient.”
Housing minister Paul McLennan said: “We continue to support vulnerable households within our limited devolved powers, including through our energy efficiency delivery programmes – Warmer Homes Scotland and area-based schemes.
“We recently announced additional funding of £41 million to help tackle fuel poverty, including £20 million through the Scottish Welfare Fund and an increase of £20 million to the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme.
“This will help around 1,500 additional households to save an average of £400 per year each on their heating bills.”
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