£100 affordable warmth dividend is part of efforts to eradicate fuel poverty in Glasgow
Thousands of pensioners in Glasgow are set to benefit from the expansion of an affordable warmth scheme aimed at ending fuel poverty.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, has announced that everyone over the age of 80 living in the city will be entitled to a £100 affordable warmth dividend.
The move is an extension of a scheme launched in November. Previously, people had to be in receipt of Pension Credit to be eligible. However, the council has removed that condition, meaning around 22,000 Glaswegians will now be eligible to apply for the money from the Warm Glasgow project.
Councillor Matheson said: “Too many Glaswegians struggle to heat their homes adequately and our elderly citizens are most at risk.
“I’m not prepared to see another winter of hardship for our most vulnerable citizens and that is why I have decided the scheme will be open to everyone over the age of 80. None of them should have to worry about how they’re going to pay for their heating.
“They’ll also get advice from our experts on how to make the most of the dividend and reduce their energy bills.
“The feedback on this since we launched in November has been overwhelmingly positive, and people have been asking for it to be extended to all over-80s. This is a listening administration, so that's what I'm doing.
“Warm Glasgow will tap into savings and income generated by future sustainability projects to ensure that affordable warmth becomes a reality for all our citizens.”
The affordable warmth dividend is only the start of the city’s bid to building a greener future as a European leader in environmental, social and economic sustainability through the Sustainable Glasgow partnership.
Glasgow City Council, which is leading the Sustainable Glasgow partnership, has already pledged that income generated from new sustainable projects will contribute to Warm Glasgow. The first project is the council’s new wind turbine to be built at Cathkin Braes and money generated from the scheme will be put towards Warm Glasgow.
The Sustainable Glasgow partnership includes Glasgow City Council, the University of Strathclyde, Clyde Gateway, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, Glasgow Housing Association, Scottish Enterprise, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, IBM, BT, Honeywell, Siemens, ScottishPower, SSE, Scottish Water and the City of Glasgow College.
Through this ambitious city strategy, Glasgow has been positioned as a new centre of excellence in renewable-energy research and industry. Hundreds of new green jobs have been created in Glasgow by industry leaders including SSE, Mitsubishi and Iberdrola, the Spanish firm which owns ScottishPower.
Sustainable Glasgow partners are also supporting many hundreds of groups across the city which are running green community-led initiatives. These projects will be vital in helping the Sustainable Glasgow partnership hit its target to reduce Glasgow’s carbon emissions by 30% within 10 years.
People eligible for the dividend will have to apply either through the council’s website or by completing a form. You can call 0141 287 7961 to obtain an application form.
Forms are also available for download here.
Those you take up the £100 dividend can receive impartial energy advice from Glasgow Home Energy Advice Team (G-HEAT) on 0800 092 9002. For further information, visit www.g-heat.org.uk.