Extra government money for insulation scheme

The Scottish government has officially announced it will provide a further £100,000 to improve insulation in homes in Shetland under a scheme to be administered by the council.

Some £200,000 has already been handed over and council official Emma Perring informed those on the social services committee in February that the extra money would be coming north after a meeting with cabinet minister Alex Neil.

The so-called Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS) provides free insulation, including loft and cavity wall insulation, to help improve energy efficiency, keep heating bills down and reduce fuel poverty. The council estimates that as many as 3,500 households in Shetland may be in fuel poverty, which is defined as those which spend more than 10 per cent of income on fuel.

Housing and transport minister Keith Brown said today: “The Universal Home Insulation Scheme is a successful scheme which, over the years, has delivered real savings to people in their homes across Shetland.  By offering free cavity wall and loft insulation, owners, private sector tenants and landlords can make sure their properties are saving energy and money by reducing the heat lost through draughts.

“I am delighted that every local authority is supporting this scheme. The Scottish government is investing over £¼ billion over the next three years towards eliminating fuel poverty and UHIS is making a significant contribution to achieving that aim.

“UHIS also creates employment opportunities with contractors employing and contributing to local economies across Scotland to deliver the scheme.”