The Scottish Government revised the criteria for Warmer Homes Scotland in August 2022 to allow more households to access the scheme, in particular those within the 60 to 75 years age range1. The change was set out in the government's Heat in Buildings Strategy 2022 update, published on 31 October 20221.
Warmer Homes Scotland is the national fuel poverty scheme, which installs measures such as insulation and heating systems in the homes of households living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty1. It has been operating since September 2015 and has helped more than 29,000 households across Scotland1. The government said:
"In August 2022, we revised the criteria for the scheme to allow more households to access the scheme, in particular those within the 60 to 75 years age range"
The scheme sits within a wider package of Scottish Government funding. The Bute House Agreement includes a commitment to invest at least £1.8 billion over the course of this Parliament, of which at least £465 million is to support those least able to pay, delivered through Warmer Homes Scotland and area-based schemes1. Area-based schemes, which local authorities design and deliver in fuel poor areas, have supported over 104,000 households since 20131.
Separately, the Home Energy Scotland loan with cashback scheme provides up to £15,000 in loans with up to £6,000 cashback for energy efficiency improvements, and up to £17,500 with £7,500 cashback for renewables measures for homeowners or self-builders1. The government said it had committed to replacing that scheme in 2022-23 with a loan and grant scheme1. The differences between the two routes are set out in Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan vs Warmer Homes Scotland.
| Scheme | Support available |
|---|---|
| Warmer Homes Scotland | Insulation and heating systems for households in or at risk of fuel poverty1 |
| Home Energy Scotland loan and cashback | Up to £15,000 loan plus up to £6,000 cashback for energy efficiency; up to £17,500 plus £7,500 cashback for renewables1 |
| SME Loan and Cashback | Interest free loans from £1,000 to £100,000 for small and medium-sized businesses1 |
Why it matters for households
Widening the age range to include households aged 60 to 75 brings more homes into scope for a scheme that installs insulation and heating systems at no cost to the householder, according to the government's description of how the scheme works1. For a home that is hard to heat, that can mean the difference between a heating system that runs affordably through winter and one that does not. The measures available under the scheme are listed in What measures can I get a grant for under Warmer Homes Scotland?, and the qualifying conditions in Who can get help from Warmer Homes Scotland?.
The wider context is a legal target to move over one million existing homes off emissions-producing heat by 2030, with the remainder by 20451. Households in Scotland can also approach their council, since local authorities run their own area-based programmes; the two routes are compared in Warmer Homes Scotland vs council area-based schemes. Comparable grant routes elsewhere in the UK are covered in Boiler and Heating Grants in England, Boiler and Heating Grants in Wales and Boiler and Heating Grants in Northern Ireland.
What happens next
The successor scheme to Warmer Homes Scotland was under procurement and due to begin in July 2023, after the current scheme expires in June1. The government also said it would consult on a Heat in Buildings Bill setting out proposals for regulating energy efficiency standards and zero emissions heating in existing buildings from 20251. From 1 April 2024, the use of direct emissions heating systems in new buildings is prohibited1.