Question reference: S6W-26710
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 5 April 2024
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Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Fuel Insecurity Fund has been distributed in each financial year since it was launched.
Answer
The Fuel Insecurity Fund was first established in the winter of 2020, as part of the wider Winter Support Fund, to help households struggling with their energy costs who were at risk of severely rationing, or self-disconnecting entirely because they could not afford their energy costs.
The Scottish Government has distributed a total of £63.595 million to third sector partners to deliver the Fuel Insecurity Fund up until March 2024. The following table gives an overview of the budget and distribution since inception:
Year | Budgeted | Distributed |
2020-21 | £7m | £3.595m |
2021-22 | £10m | £10m |
2022-23 | £20m* | £20m |
2023-24 | £30m** | £30m |
*originally £10m; raised to £20m at Emergency Budget Review
**originally £20m in the 2023-24 Scottish Budget; increased to £30m in March 2023