300 Aberdeen households could have energy bills covered over winter through new scheme

By Ross Hempseed

November 22 2022, 7:48 am

Households with people suffering from respiratory illnesses in Aberdeen will have their bills paid for. Image: Shutterstock.

A new scheme is being rolled out in Aberdeen that aims to support 300 vulnerable households with energy bills this winter.

Originally tested in England, NHS Grampian will pilot the programme in Scotland with people who suffer from respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) first on the list for support.

For those suffering from respiratory conditions a warm home is vital and could avoid a trip to the hospital.

In turn, a warm home for someone with respiratory conditions could alleviate pressure on NHS services.

The idea was originally brought forward by think tank Energy Systems Catapult to help keep vulnerable people safe and warm in their own homes.

Dr Rose Chard from Energy Systems Catapult spoke to BBC’s Good Morning Scotland about the scheme and who can qualify.

She said: “In Aberdeen, we are reaching out to households which have respiratory illnesses that are made worse by the cold such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and that they live in an area of multiple deprivations.

300 Aberdeen homes to benefit

“We know that COPD and other respiratory illnesses are made worse by living in a cold home, and so specifically for those people who are at risk, if they live in a cold home they are likely to get poorly, visit their GP more often and visit the hospital more often.”

The scheme had been piloted last winter in NHS Gloucestershire and now the scheme is in Aberdeen and Teeside to gather data on its benefits in different areas.

Dr Chard added: “This winter we are working with over 1,000 homes, but there are over one million homes in England and Scotland that have respiratory illnesses that are made worse by the cold, so this could really reach a large number of people.”

NHS Grampian has already selected the households eligible for the scheme inviting them to participate, with Dr Chard noting that there has been a good uptake in response.

With energy bills rising and the need for heating homes essential over the winter, the new scheme should provide some relief to vulnerable households in Aberdeen. Image: Shutterstock.

Aberdeen energy charity, Scarf will be contacting households to talk them through the process.

The scheme’s cost is being covered by BP through its social impact fund, with it likely to use several funding streams in the future to scale up.

Future plans could help households not only pay their bills but also better insulate their homes or access better support measures to keep them warm as their energy costs rise.

David Mackay, Scarf co-chief executive, said “Once one of our advisors speaks to an individual and outlines the programme, we will aim to have money into their energy accounts, within a fortnight, to ensure they can keep their bedroom and main living area heated to between 18-21°C throughout the winter.

“Participants will be sent thermometers to help them measure how warm their home is, and temperature recorders which will be returned to us at the end of March 2023.

“This helps us ensure we have paid for the correct amount of fuel.”