Heat in Buildings delivery report: 2019-2020

1. Area Based Schemes

The Area Based Schemes (ABS) programme was launched in April 2013 with the aim of reducing fuel poverty by supporting local authorities to design and deliver energy efficiency programmes in fuel poor areas.

Local schemes are designed and delivered by councils, in conjunction with utility companies and local delivery partners, targeting fuel poor areas to provide energy efficiency measures to a large number of Scottish households and help reduce fuel poverty. ABS funding enables local delivery partners to offer measures at no cost or a reduced cost to owner occupiers and private landlords with fewer than four properties. This is provided as grant-in-kind, not financial grants.

Each local authority is expected to use various sources of information to target households that meet the criteria: properties within the LA area with the lowest levels of energy efficiency and/or highest levels of fuel poverty.

ABS funding often 'unlocks' larger mixed tenure schemes where there is a mix of social and privately owned properties. Local authorities provide information updates to the Scottish Government as the programmes progress throughout the financial year.

In line with our commitments to reduce fuel poverty and reach our carbon reduction targets, the Scottish Government set an annual investment of £49 million for ABS projects in 2019/20. We estimate that approximately 7,524 households were supported by ABS projects and local schemes with 7,920 measures installed.