Householders at risk of fuel poverty across Dumfries and Galloway are set for a helping hand to cut energy bills.
A huge programme of works are being lined up which will see properties upgraded with energy efficiency measures, including solid wall insulation.
The Scottish Government has allocated Dumfries and Galloway Council nearly £2.4m as part of its Energy Efficient Scotland area-based scheme.
This government scheme aims to assist homeowners, aswell as people living in the private-rented sector, by providing measures that will help reduce energy usage and costs.
This programme is a priority for the Scottish Government supporting the aim that, by 2040, no more than five percent of households in Scotland will be in fuel poverty.
The matter is due to be discussed at the council’s economy and resources committee next Tuesday where councillors will be asked to agree spending the cash on solid wall insulation in the central, east and west of the region.
The report states: “Area 1, central Dumfries and Galloway – this area will be a continued project targeting streets which extend the current Lochside Project and a previous project in the Lincluden area.
“This area is within the bottom 10 percent of the SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) for income, health and employment.
“Over 50 percent of the working population are also classed as being income deprived.”
Area two is the east of the region and focuses on Eastriggs.
The council report explains: “The focus of this area is to continue to target the rural areas that are in the bottom three deciles for geographical access based on data from SIMD 2016.
“We will aim to install external wall insulation (EWI) to a mix of hard-to-treat cavity properties in Eastriggs. This area also has low-income indicators from the bottom 40 percent SIMD 2016.”
The third project will continue focusing on streets in Stranraer that were previously identified.
The council report states: “The targeted area of Stranraer is in the bottom 25 percent of the SIMD or below and households in this region have a 60 percent probability of being in fuel poverty based on current home analytics data.
“Almost 50 percent of the working age population is income deprived and within the bottom 20 percent for employment and health based on SIMD 2016 data.”
The Fuel Poverty Scotland Act 2019 defines a household to be in fuel poverty if more than 10 percent of its net income (after housing costs) is required to heat the home and pay for other fuel costs, with not enough money left for a decent standard of living.
If more than 20 percent of net income is needed, the household is defined as being in extreme fuel poverty.
