As Ofgem announced on 23 November that the energy bill price cap is set to rise, a new report from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has outlined the huge scale of fuel support to tenants that housing associations have provided in the past year.
Funded by the Scottish Government, the Social Housing Fuel Support Fund has enabled housing associations and co-operatives to make over 68,000 direct interventions for tenants struggling to afford their energy costs.
Distributed through SFHA, the £6.4 million fund meant that tenants could be supported with cash, household items, energy advice and help to write off energy debt. An independent analysis of the impact of this has now revealed that this work provided nearly £120 million of social value, including relief from anxiety and the ability for people to access advice locally.
- Over 25,000 people received fuel vouchers
- Over 9,000 people received direct financial support
- 9,719 people received energy advice
- 6,796 people received energy efficient appliances
- Over 12,000 people received other useful household items
In total 92 projects have been supported by the Fund, representing almost 90% of all Scottish housing association and cooperatives.
SFHA say that this demonstrates not only the wider social value their members provide, but the ‘staggering’ level of need that social tenants will continue to face this winter. Today, Ofgem have announced bills are likely to rise again, with the annual estimate for a typical dual fuel customer paying by direct debit going from £1,834 to £1,928. The new cap rate also remains considerably higher than the pre-2021 rates.
Echoing calls from SFHA, last week Gillian Martin MSP, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Energy and Environment, wrote to the UK Government to ask them to introduce a social energy tariff, specifically noting the need for social tenants to be protected.
Sally Thomas, CEO, SFHA said: “I’m hugely proud that our members continue to do all they can to support tenants every day - and this report makes clear the significant wider social impact that has.
“However, it’s also clear that there is still a staggering level of need for support with energy costs, and today’s announcement means that need is not going away. We need to see UK Government act to introduce a social tariff urgently, which would mean those least able to pay have discounted energy bills and are protected this winter.”
