We will deliver the Fuel Poverty Action Plan to seek to reduce Shetland’s fuel poverty rate.
Last year, the Leader of Shetland Islands Council wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer laying out stark predictions for household energy costs for those living in Shetland due to increasing energy prices. Fuel poverty levels were projected to increase significantly as a result and statistics show that, even under normal circumstances, the cost of living in Shetland is anything from 20-65% higher than the UK average.
As part of the council’s long-term commitment to tackling fuel poverty, a number of activities are currently underway.
These include the new Local Housing Strategy (which was approved at the Development Committee on Tuesday 6 September 2022). There are a number of agreed actions from the Local Housing Strategy which will have to be developed, and one of these is the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). The primary function of the LHEES is to reduce carbon emissions from Shetland buildings. A major part of the strategy focuses on fuel poverty, namely locating and targeting buildings that require heating system and fabric upgrades.
It is important to note that no one service or organisation is able to resolve the issue of fuel poverty alone, so we are working collaboratively internally and with partners across three main themes to address the issues – increase incomes, reduce energy use and more affordable energy prices.
An example of the work currently underway is the review of existing fuel poverty advisory services in Shetland. This review has the broad objective to decrease fuel poverty by:
- developing a new fuel poverty, energy and financial health advice service
- developing and implementing a fuel poverty engagement plan
- realising health improvements in tackling fuel poverty
Currently, advice is offered locally through various bodies including the council, Hjaltland Housing Association, Energy Savings Trust and the Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau, as well as a range of other external organisations.
There are clear benefits from this being streamlined. Having one single identifiable point of contact will improve the customer journey to ensure the correct assistance from the area that the customer requires.
A fuel poverty methodology will be adopted by all services within Shetland offering fuel poverty support, ensuring the methods in which they offer assistance are the same. There will also be engagement with services that don’t offer fuel poverty advice directly and with third party organisations and charities to increase knowledge about fuel poverty and the support on offer.