The Scottish Government will make up to £30 million available through the Fuel Insecurity Fund in 2023-24, First Minister Humza Yousaf announced on 1 May 2023. The fund had previously been committed to double, from £10 million to £20 million1.
The money will go to third sector organisations in the next financial year to support the most vulnerable households in Scotland, rather than directly to households1. Previous funding has been provided to organisations including the Fuel Bank Foundation, Advice Direct Scotland and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to provide direct support to households1.
The Scottish Government states that the fund includes provision for households on any tariff type and using any type of fuel1. The announcement gives no breakdown of how the £30 million will be divided between organisations, and no eligibility criteria for individual households have been reported1.
Yousaf linked the increase to the withdrawal of UK-wide support. He said:
"With energy bills still at historically high levels and the UK Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme being withdrawn from 1 April, over the next year our Fuel Insecurity Fund will continue to be a vital lifeline for many struggling households in the country."
The same statement describes the fund as being for households "at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy use"1.
| Fund | Previous commitment | 2023-24 announcement |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Insecurity Fund | £10 million, later doubled to £20 million | Tripled to £30 million |
Why it matters for households
The fund is aimed at households already in difficulty with energy costs, rather than at cutting bills generally. Because the money is routed through third sector organisations, support reaches a household through one of those bodies rather than as an automatic credit on an energy account1. The Scottish Government says the fund covers any tariff type and any fuel, which means it is not restricted to households on mains gas or a particular payment method1.
The timing matters for homes that were receiving the UK Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme, which the statement says was withdrawn from 1 April 20231. For a household that relied on that support, the Fuel Insecurity Fund is a separate route to help, delivered in Scotland and administered by organisations rather than by suppliers.
For a home's energy independence, the practical effect is limited to crisis support: the fund does not pay for insulation, heating systems or other measures that reduce how much energy a property needs. Households seeking that kind of work would look to schemes such as ECO4, and the wider grants and schemes landscape, rather than to this fund. Because grants attract imitation, households approached about energy funding should be alert to energy grant scams.
What happens next
The funding will be made available to third sector organisations in the next financial year, 2023-241. No closing date, application route for organisations, or allocation timetable has been reported1.