Ruth Maguire MSP has welcomed the resumption of Warmer Homes Scotland, the national scheme to help reduce people’s fuel bills by making their homes more energy efficient.
The Scottish Government has announced that the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme would restart, bringing 300 staff out of furlough to continue installing energy efficiency measures in people’s homes. This will happen in accordance with current public health guidelines around physical distancing.
The Scottish Government has allocated £26 million in 2020-2021 to invest in energy efficiency measures through Warmer Homes Scotland to make the homes of those living in or at risk of fuel poverty warmer and more affordable to heat.
The SNP MSP said: “Fuel poverty is something that has affected households before the pandemic and in some cases will have been exacerbated due to the increased time we have had to spend at home.
“The restart of the Warmer Homes Scotland initiative is a positive development in helping people to heat their homes while also creating more energy efficient communities as we embark on a greener economic recovery from coronavirus.”
Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart said: “Warmer Homes Scotland makes a huge difference to the lives of thousands of fuel poor households every year and I know this will also be welcome news to the hundreds of workers employed to deliver the service.
“We want a Scotland where everyone lives in a warm home and where we have put an end to fuel poverty. By 2021 the Scottish Government will have allocated over £1 billion to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency, making people’s homes warmer and cheaper to heat.”
Warmer Homes Scotland is the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme, delivered by Warmworks Scotland LLP.
Work on the scheme is resuming from 1 July 2020 where social distancing guidelines can be fully maintained. This is fully in line with the site operating procedures published by Construction Scotland and guidance for the construction sector by the Scottish Government.
The restart of Warmer Homes Scotland enables hundreds of construction workers to return to work. Almost 300 workers have been brought out of furlough to start working on installing energy efficiency measures in people’s homes.
Ruth Maguire MSP 