Around 357,000 households in Scotland were living in extreme fuel poverty in 2024, 14.0 per cent of all households, according to the Scottish House Condition Survey 2024 Key Findings published by the Scottish Government1. That is a decrease of 134,000 households, or five percentage points, from 2023, when 491,000 households, 19.4 per cent, were in extreme fuel poverty1.
The survey also reports that an estimated 28.7 per cent of all households were in fuel poverty in 2024, around 732,000 households, down from 859,000 and 33.9 per cent in 2023. The report states this corresponds to a decrease of 127,000 households, or five percentage points, between the two years1. The median fuel poverty gap in 2024 was £1,030, and mean modelled annual running costs were £2,6401.
The report attributes the change in part to heating fuel prices, stating that in 2024 the weighted average index price of heating fuels fell by approximately 23.3 per cent compared to 20231. The 2024 figures come from 2,902 surveyed properties, with household interviews carried out between January 2024 and February 2025 and physical surveys between January 2024 and March 20251.
On energy monitoring, 54 per cent of households reported having energy monitoring devices, higher than the 48 per cent who reported having one in 20231.
"In 2024, an estimated 28.7% of all households were in fuel poverty, around 732,000 households"
| Measure | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel poverty (thousands) | 859 | 732 |
| Fuel poverty (%) | 33.9% | 28.7% |
| Extreme fuel poverty (thousands) | 491 | 357 |
| Extreme fuel poverty (%) | 19.4% | 14.0% |
Source: Scottish House Condition Survey 2024 Key Findings1
Why it matters for households
Fuel poverty in Scotland is measured against a definition set in law, and the survey is the official source for the national rate. For a household, the gap between the fuel poverty rate and the extreme fuel poverty rate indicates how many homes are not merely spending a high share of income on energy but are doing so alongside low remaining income after housing and fuel costs. The fall reported for 2024 is large in both counts, and the report links it to lower heating fuel prices rather than to changes in the housing stock, so the improvement reflects running costs rather than the physical performance of homes. The fuel poverty in Scotland definition and the 2040 target sit behind these numbers, while the wider fuel poverty in UK households picture explains how the Scottish measure differs from those used elsewhere in the UK.
What happens next
The report states that, with a three year pooled data set covering 2022 to 2024 now available, a Local Authority level analysis will follow, and that these estimates are expected to be published in mid 20261. No further dated steps are given in the report.
Sources1 cited
- Key+Findings+2024+-+Complete+report.pdf, gov.scot