Councils and housing associations across the north and north-east have been awarded a share of £4.5million to make properties warmer and cheaper to heat.
A total of 25 homes owned by Albyn Housing Association in Invergordon will benefit from £61,524 and Aberdeenshire Council has been given £248,500 to make energy efficiency improvements to 71 properties.
Lochaber Housing Association in Fort William has been awarded £37,810 to upgrade seven properties and Blackwood Housing Association, which owns homes across the north-east, has been given £249,999 for improvements to 26 homes.
Grampian Housing Association gets £183,000 to upgrade 61 homes.
In total the money will benefit people living in 1,677 rented homes across Scotland.
Housing minister Margaret Burgess said the cash would “not only improve the quality of social rented properties up and down the country but it will make a real difference to families who are struggling to make ends meet”.
“It is scandalous that fuel poverty exists in an energy-rich country like Scotland, that’s why this government has spent almost a quarter of a billion pounds over a three-year period on energy efficiency measures,” she added.
“Through the Green Homes Cashback Scheme we are helping social landlords and councils upgrade their properties with energy efficiency measures, which will in turn save residents’ money on fuel bills and cut emissions.”
MSPs are holding a debate on affording housing at the Scottish Parliament today.
Mrs Burgess said: “Making sure everyone in Scotland has access to good quality housing is a vital part of the Scottish Government’s drive to secure economic growth, promote social justice, strengthen communities and tackle inequality.”
The minister said councils and housing associations across Scotland have built more than 21,000 affordable homes, which equates to two-thirds of a target the SNP Government set for 30,000 new properties by 2016.
Mrs Burgess said 2,900 households have been helped on to the property ladder through the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme.
She added that the government was also preserving the social housing stock by abolishing the Right to Buy scheme.