Election / Macdonald accuses Scottish Government of lack of urgency in tackling fuel poverty
LIBERAL Democrat election candidate Emma Macdonald has accused the Scottish Government of a “lack of commitment” with regards to tackling fuel poverty in the isles.
She also called on the SNP government to ensure that local people would see a “fair share” of the benefits from renewables developed in the isles.
It comes after it was revealed that just 3.6 per cent of Shetland households had been supported under the 11-year period of the Warmer Homes initiative.
Since the scheme was launched, just 390 households in the isles have been assisted with insulation and the installation of better heating systems.
Shetland, and the other two island constituencies in Orkney and the Western Isles, are among the areas with the highest level of fuel poverty in Scotland.
According to Scottish Government statistics 31 per cent of local households – 3,300 in total – suffer from fuel poverty, meaning more than 10 per cent of income is spent on heating.
Macdonald, who is also the leader of Shetland Islands Council, said the support was not stretching far enough across the isles.
“The reality is that only a small number of households here have been helped by this scheme over the last decade, even though we know fuel poverty affects a significant number of families across the isles,” she said.
“The Scottish Government’s fuel poverty scheme should be helping us tackle that challenge, but in the decade since it was launched it’s been held back by a lack of commitment from SNP ministers.
Macdonald added: “Any household that has been supported is of course welcome, and the people delivering that work locally deserve credit. But the level of commitment from the Scottish Government simply hasn’t matched the urgency of the problem.
“We should be doing much more to help people heat their homes affordably.
“That means properly investing in energy efficiency, insulating homes, and making sure communities in Shetland see a fair share of the benefits from the renewables being developed around us.”
The Scottish Government said in its recent new National Islands Plan that following the publication of its fuel poverty strategy in 2021, it has “continued to take action in pursuit of our statutory targets”, as set out in its first fuel poverty periodic report in 2025.
“The independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel subsequently published their statutory response and offered recommendations on future action, which we are now considering as part of our work to review the Fuel Poverty Strategy by December 2026,” it added.
The islands plan continued: “While we are proud of the actions and investments that we have delivered to tackle fuel poverty, it is evident that high energy prices must be addressed, and the fundamental fiscal and policy levers to make a real difference lie with the UK Government.”
The government also said decarbonising homes and buildings is “essential to meeting climate and fuel-poverty goals”.
“Island homes are disproportionately off the gas grid and have poorer energy efficiency profiles. Higher retrofit costs and limited heating options drive up bills and deepen fuel poverty,” the islands plan continued.
“However, improvements are already underway. Almost half of respondents to the Scottish Islands Survey 2023 report installing additional insulation and 14 per cent have fitted a heat pump.”
The plan added that the Warmer Homes Scotland (WHS) programme uses a “National Customer Price” so that eligible customers get the same level of improvement wherever they live.
It also said the supply chain of WHS installers includes nine island-based businesses, while the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme includes an island uplift.
It also gave reference to area based schemes, which the government said it has awarded more than £110 million to island authorities since 2013.
Other election candidates publicly confirmed so far for the Shetland constituency are in alphabetical order: Alex Armitage (Greens), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP) and Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland).
A candidate for Reform UK will be announced on 19 March, the party has said.
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