News: Anti-poverty campaigners worried about scale of energy support for off-grid households

Anti-poverty campaigners say they are worried that the UK Government might not be giving enough support to off-grid households struggling to pay for heating oil.

Earlier this month, the Poverty Alliance raised concerns about the impact of rising oil prices on the living costs of people living in homes that aren’t connected to the gas network.

Today, prime minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK Government would give £4.6 million to the Scottish Government to support these households, as part of a UK-wide package of £53 million. But there are concerns that that simply won’t be enough.

During the last energy crisis in the winter of 2023, off-grid households were supported with an Alternative Fuel Payment of £200 to pay for heating oil. The Poverty Alliance believes that today’s support could see them get just over £35 each if a similar approach is adopted.

Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: "In a just and compassionate Scotland, everyone should be able to heat their home without fear of choosing between warmth or food on the table - but households relying on heating oil are facing sharp price increases as a result of the war in the Middle East.

"We’re pleased that the UK Government has listened to campaigners and put some support in place. We look forward to seeing the details of how the money will be spent – but looking at the headline costs, we are worried it won’t be enough to give people the help they need.”

Around 130,000 homes in Scotland are heated using oil. Most of them are off the national gas network in Scotland’s rural and island communities. Around 24% of these households are in fuel poverty. They are not covered by the energy price cap put in place by regulator Ofgem.

The Poverty Alliance also repeated its call for a social tariff to help low-income householders connected to the grid. When the current energy price cap ends at the end of June some forecasts have suggested that electricity and gas bills could nearly double for the average household.

Peter Kelly said: “More than 750,000 households in Scotland are already in fuel poverty. Before the present energy price cap was put in place, their bills had doubled since 2021. They simply cannot afford for them to double again when the cap ends.

“Now is the time for the UK Government to create a real social tariff that will guarantee lower bills for low-income households, as well as those with unavoidably high energy needs, such as disabled people who need to charge equipment designed to help them live. They can’t be abandoned to the injustice of fuel poverty. MPs should press the Government on this now.”