WIREDGOV

Households will be able to apply for up to £7,300 through a new, more generous, phase of the Scottish Government’s Green Homes Cashback scheme.

The £15 million scheme will provide funding to households towards the cost of installing energy efficiency measures such as home insulation and boiler upgrades that have been recommended on a Green Deal Assessment Report.

From June and operating in 2014/15, funding will be available for individual householders, with private landlords and private and social tenants all eligible to apply. Social landlords will also be eligible to apply for funding.

Announcing the additional funding, Minister for Energy Fergus Ewing said:

“Scotland is outperforming the UK in the delivery of home energy efficiency measures that is saving households money. This new and more intensive phase of Green Homes Cashback will make a real difference to people across the country, saving money on fuel bills and helping to cut emissions.

“Rising energy prices remain a huge concern for this government, and we will spend almost a quarter of a billion pounds over a three year period on fuel poverty and energy efficiency including our Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland which will spend £79 million in 2014/15 to support energy efficiency improvements in Scotland’s homes.

“This government is leading investment on energy efficiency for low income households, with figures from Energy Action Scotland showing that on average, £3.52 is invested in England, compared with £36.48 in Scotland, £31.31 in Wales and £27.55 in Northern Ireland.

“This new phase of Green Homes Cashback underlines our ongoing commitment to energy efficiency – we are doing all we can under existing arrangements to provide practical support to households. What’s clear however is that we need the full powers of independence to avoid the delays and dallying we’ve seen from the UK Government.

“In the five months since the UK Government announced their energy efficiency package, we had repeatedly sought urgent clarity on the consequentials from this funding for Scotland, but it took them until this week to confirm the position.

“This lack of communication by UK Government Ministers shows a blatant disregard for Scottish households and Scottish businesses. What’s more with the changes to the Energy Company Obligation that Westminster announced in December this has reduced investment by energy companies in Scotland by around £50 million a year and undermined the much needed investment in energy efficiency to tackle fuel poverty and climate change.

“We are strongly committed to addressing fuel poverty and climate change and with the full powers of independence we could go even further to help thousands of households in Scotland to have warmer, more energy efficient homes.”

The announcement was welcomed by the head of the National Insulation Association (NIA) Neil Marshall, who said:

“The NIA welcomes the new £15 million scheme being introduced by the Scottish Government today and its continued commitment to supporting insulation companies in Scotland and to helping households to address the cost of living by installing more insulation measures which will deliver long terms sustainable savings on energy bills.

“We look forward to continuing to work effectively with the Scottish Government on this and other energy efficiency and fuel poverty initiatives.”