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MORE than 400 charities, organisations and advisers have signed up to refer Scots struggling with their energy bills to a £4 million support fund.
The Scottish Government scheme is being administered by national advice service Advice Direct Scotland, and “referral partners” can still register to help their clients hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
Thaw Orkney, a charitable organisation that assists fuel poor households, has been able to secure individual grants averaging around £350 to dozens of households since the fund opened in December – making payments directly to people’s energy providers or supporting clients with weekly top-up texts.
These awards are helping households to manage their energy bills or reduce their debts, sometimes even clearing arrears altogether.
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Rachael Taylor received £350 towards her energy bill through Thaw, after the cost of her electricity
more than doubled in the winter months – leaving her having to choose between heating her home or refuelling her car.
“It puts my head above water financially and means I don’t have to stress over where it’s all going,” she said.
The Home Heating Support Fund is open until March 31 and applications can be made on behalf of individuals by referral partners through www.homeheatingadvice.scot.
Charities, housing associations, and community organisations which provide energy or debt advice are encouraged to register online so that they can seek funding for the people they support.
Targeted funding from the Home Heating Support Fund will reflect each individual’s circumstances, with extra support available for households with one person over 75, living with disability or illness, or living in a remote or island community.
Payments can be for electricity, oil, gas, LPG, coal or other forms of heating, starting at £100 and rising to £1000 to clear outstanding debt – with funds paid directly to suppliers on behalf of the household.
Eligibility is based on households which are “self-rationing” their energy – meaning those deliberately limiting their energy use so they can afford to spend money on other goods or services. Individuals cannot apply directly to the fund.
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “Since launching the scheme, more than 400 referral partners have registered and we’re receiving hundreds of applications on behalf of their clients who are struggling with energy bills.
“This demonstrates the scale of the cost-of-living crisis.
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“But we know there are more people out there who need support, so we encourage any charities, housing associations, or community organisations which provide energy or debt advice to register with us.
“This fund will prove absolutely crucial in ensuring that households who have been hit the hardest can continue to heat their homes and feed their families.”
Craig Nisbet, a community support officer at Thaw, told of the huge difference the fund has made to his customers: “Having access to this fund this year means I am making some wonderful phone calls where I’m getting to tell people ‘your child will be warm this winter’.
He added: “When we’re calling these people, you can feel their shoulders drop, you can feel their tension disappear. There’s so much else to worry about at the moment and this is one less weight on them.”