The Existing Homes Alliance welcomes the Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill as part of a long-term strategy to eradicate fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. There is a focus on all four drivers of fuel poverty (energy efficiency, income, energy price and how energy is used in the home) and we particularly welcome the commitment to remove poor energy performance as a driver of fuel poverty.
While the focus on fuel poverty is welcome, we fear that the scope is too narrow and misses a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to tackle energy efficiency as well and end the scandal of Scotland’s cold, damp homes. This Bill should support the achievement of warm, affordable to heat and low carbon homes for everyone in Scotland, so no one is at risk of being in fuel poverty.
We provided both written and oral evidence to the Local Government and Communities Committee and also written evidence on the Financial Memorandum to the Finance and Constitution Committee.
