Affordable Warmth In Argyll

The Affordable Warmth in Argyll Project was established to help combat fuel poverty in Argyll and the Islands. The project initially runs until October 2011, but is expected to continue beyond that date.

Fuel Poverty

The Scottish Government’s agreed definition of Fuel Poverty is:

"A household is in fuel poverty if, in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime, it would be required to spend more than 10% of its income (including housing benefit or income support for mortgage interest) on all household fuel use".

There are three main factors which influence whether a household is in fuel poverty:

1. Insufficient income. The cost of heating a property forms a large proportion of the household’s income. Due to the recession, a higher number of people may have experienced reduced income either by becoming unemployed or having their hours reduced.
   
2. Fuel costs. Higher prices reduce the affordability of fuel. Prices of different types of fuels can vary considerably, as can the availability of different fuels in different areas. It is estimated that fuel poverty is increasing nationally, due to increased costs of fuel.
   
3. Energy efficiency. The thermal quality of the building and the efficiency of the heating source determine the amount of energy that must be purchased to heat the home adequately.

Fuel poverty is a dynamic condition - people can fall in and out of fuel poverty as their circumstances change. People can fall into fuel poverty if:

• The price of gas, electricity or oil increases. Recent reports suggest that fuel bills have increased.
  
• Individuals reduce their income - either through retiring; having a career break to look after young children; having their hours reduced due to changing economic conditions, or if they lose their job.
  
• A home becomes less energy efficient because it has fallen into a state of disrepair, or because of a change in environmental conditions that result in an increased heating requirement.

Fuel Poverty in Argyll and the Islands

Recent studies conducted by Alembic Research for Argyll and Bute Council have demonstrated that, on average, 38.2% households in Argyll spend more than 10% of their annual income on fuel and are in fuel poverty. This is higher than the national average, due to the fact that Argyll and Bute has:

• A higher than average number of properties (88.5%) that are non-compliant with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) – so there is a high proportion of hard-to-heat, hard-to-treat housing (pre-1919, stone built, one and a half storey properties) with low levels of insulation and double glazing. This combines with harsh weather conditions to reduce the energy efficiency ratings of properties
  
• No gas availability across the majority of the area - oil and electricity are the main sources of heating across much of the area, and these are subject to price fluctuations and potentially high costs.
  
• Lower wages that the national average
  
• A higher than average proportion of the population who are economically inactive. Some 30.4% of households in Argyll are aged 65 and over and the age profile of the population is expected to increase further in the future, exacerbating the relatively low level of economic activity in the area.

How fuel poverty affects health

Recent research by Energy Action Scotland and the University of Strathclyde reported that between 1997 and 2002, there were 16,600 excess winter deaths in Scotland, of people over 65. The report found a correlation between poverty, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, and these excess deaths.

Research suggests that living in cold and damp homes not only increases the number of excess winter deaths but it exacerbates a number of other health conditions, such as influenza; heart disease; strokes; the elderly person’s resistance to respiratory disease (which falls at lower temperatures); high blood pressure (as blood pressure increases at lower temperatures); recovery time from long term illness (as this is also increased at lower temperatures); and children and young people’s respiratory conditions.

The Affordable Warmth in Argyll Project is funded by the Scottish Power Energy People’s Trust. The project’s aim is to reduce the number of households in Argyll and the Islands who experience fuel poverty, by targeting assistance to the following groups:

• Vulnerable households.
  • living in hard-to-heat and hard to treat homes;
  • who are having difficulty in heating their homes due to inadequate heating systems; and
  • who are having difficulty in heating their homes due to having an inadequate income;
  
• Households with children under 15, disabled, ill and elderly residents;
  
• Private rented sector tenants. Homes belonging to private landlords tend to:
  • have lower energy efficiencies,
  • be in a poorer state of repair than other households
  • be ineligible for many of the schemes and initiatives that are available to tenants in the social rented sector.
  
• People living in the geographical areas within Argyll and the Islands that have high levels of fuel poverty.

What the Affordable Warmth Project will do

ALIenergy will work in partnership with a range of organisations to identify those people who are in fuel poverty. This will involve the Affordable Warmth Team working with:

• Health Professionals, who could refer people whose health may be affected by fuel poverty.
  
• Benefits Agency, Employment Services and Citizens Advice, to identify those people who are having difficulty with adequately heating their homes.
  
• Schools and nurseries and other voluntary and community groups, to identify those people with young children who are in fuel poverty.
  
• Social Services to identify elderly and other vulnerable groups who are in fuel poverty.
  
• Community Energy Scotland Community Powerdown project and Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre and others, to promote joint working, referrals and information sharing, which will identify households most in need of targeted assistance.

ALIenergy already works closely with CAB and the H&I ESSAC and may refer clients to them if they require more detailed money advice, or are eligible to access relevant schemes. The Affordable Warmth Project will provide advice and assistance to those households identified as needing help. Our advisors will help clients to:

• Maximise household incomes
  • access benefits that they are entitled to receive
  • access schemes such as the Energy Assistance Package, and other grants they are eligible to apply for
  
• Improve the energy efficiency of their homes, through
  • changing behaviours – to reduce energy wastage
  • installing energy efficiency measures such as low energy bulbs, insulation, efficient heating systems and double glazing. The project will provide advice and guidance on how to access appropriate grants and schemes to enable this.
  
• Access social tariffs, where appropriate
  
• Improve the overall condition of their homes, through
  • helping to secure home improvement grants, and;
  • Helping private sector landlords to access home improvement grants.

By maximising income, improving energy efficiency, ensuring the lowest energy tariff is accessed and by improving the condition of their homes, people will be less likely to be in fuel poverty.

Organisations Tackling Fuel Poverty

ALIENERGY – Affordable Warmth in Argyll Project

• Tara Livornese (07867 681990) Benefits and Energy Advisor AWA Project
• Lynda Mitchell (0790 1510915) Development Officer
• Caroline Cuddihy (07901516106) Development Officer

Fuel suppliers:

• British Gas Energy Trust – Essentials Combined (01733 421 060)
• EDF Energy Trust – Energy Assist (01733 421060)
• E.On Caring Energy Trust – WarmAssist (0800 051 1480) – 15% discount for those over 65 (Pam, ABCAB email via Lynda 240210)
• Npower - Spreading Warmth (0808 172 6999)
• Scottish Hydro – Winter Rebate, and Energyplus Care ()
• Scottish Power Energy People Trust – Fresh Start (0141 568 2000)

Others:

• Energy Action Scotland
• Energy Assistance Package (0800 512 012)
• Argyll & Bute Council (01546 602127)
• Citizens Advice Bureau, Argyll & Bute (08456 123808)
• EAGA Charitable Trust (01539 736477)
• Energy Retail Association launched Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99)
• Age Concern (0845 833 0200/0800 009966) or at An Drochaid, Fort William (01397 703333)
• Scottish Helpline for Older People (0845 125 9732)
• Help The Aged – Seniorline (0808 800 6565)
• Argyll & Bute Care & Repair, 120 George Street, Oban (01631 567780)
• Lochaber Care & Repair, An Drochaid, Fort William (01397 706444)
• Shelter Line (0808 800 4444) – housing advice

For more information on the range of services that we provide, please contact us at ALIenergy, by phoning 01631 565183 or E mailing us at