Heat in Buildings - national scheme: children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment screening

Screening – Key Questions

1. Name the policy, and describe its overall aims.

The policy is to procure a successor to the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme.

The successor scheme will be the Heat in Buildings national delivery scheme and will be targeted at those in or at risk of fuel poverty. The scheme will be delivered by a contract with a Managing Agent who will be obliged to deliver a consistent service nationally through a network of installers. The scheme will deliver heating systems and energy efficiency measures to households, with bespoke packages of measures designed for each home.

The primary aims of the new national scheme are:

• To reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Scottish homes and buildings which contain domestic properties by reducing both heat loss and direct emissions through the installation of low and zero-emissions heating technologies (and associated systems)
• To support those in fuel poverty or those at risk of fuel poverty through the heat transition by removing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty.

The secondary aims are:

• To contribute to the development of the supply chain and skills base across all regions of Scotland including rural and island locations, to support rapid acceleration in zero emissions heating system conversions and energy efficiency upgrades. The Heat in Buildings Strategy commits to the publication of a Heat in Buildings Supply Chain Delivery Plan by summer 2022 and highlights the importance of supply chain development within the Economic Opportunity section;
• To improve Scotland's housing stock by ensuring installation of measures appropriate to the Dwelling that will benefit current and future inhabitants and where possible improving the property's energy efficiency and emissions ratings to the standard required to meet statutory targets;
• To provide benefits to the wider community through vocational training and employment opportunities;
• Deliver installations as soon as possible once household eligibility is confirmed in recognition that in many cases requirements will be urgent;
• To align with Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies and Delivery Plans in order to maximise benefits to local communities from the heat transition;
• To provide value for money for the Purchaser by:
  • achieving prices for energy efficiency measures and heating systems which are commercially competitive.
  • procuring an efficient and affordable service contract through an open and competitive tender process
  • delivering emissions reductions and fuel bill savings for households

2. What aspects of the policy/measure will affect children and young people up to the age of 18?

The Articles of the UNCRC and the child wellbeing indicators under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 apply to all children and young people up to the age of 18, including non-citizen and undocumented children and young people.

The scheme delivery is through installation of energy efficiency measures and heating systems in domestic buildings, with a focus on zero emissions heating where this is not detrimental to fuel poverty objectives.

Having homes that are cleaner, greener and easier to heat impacts on children and young people. Where children and young people are part of households which receive help from the scheme, they will be affected by the scheme.

3. What likely impact – direct or indirect – will the policy/measure have on children and young people?

'Direct' impact refers to policies/measures where children and young people are directly affected by the proposed changes, e.g., in early years, education, child protection or looked after children (children in care). 'Indirect' impact refers to policies/measures that are not directly aimed at children but will have an impact on them. Examples include: welfare reforms, parental leave, housing supply, or local transport schemes.

The new national scheme is not directly aimed at children or young people, but is aimed at the homes they live in through an eligibility system that uses proxies for fuel poverty. SG changes eligibility criteria for the scheme periodically to better align with the fuel poor demographic. The current eligibility criteria for the existing scheme include some households with children under 16.

The scheme will have an indirect impact on children and young people through taking action to both improve energy efficiency levels and change the way all homes are heated. The scheme takes a consistent approach for the different eligibility groups, offering a bespoke package of suitable measures for the dwelling based on a PAS 2035 approach.

4. Which groups of children and young people will be affected?

Under the UNCRC, 'children' can refer to: individual children, groups of children, or children in general. Some groups of children will relate to the groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010: disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation. 'Groups' can also refer to children by age band or setting, or those who are eligible for special protection or assistance: e.g. preschool children, children in hospital, children in rural areas, looked after children, young people who offend, victims of abuse or exploitation, child migrants, or children living in poverty.

All children up to the age of 18 including non-documented and non-citizen children but specifically:

• Children in families in or at risk of fuel poverty.

5. Will this require a CRWIA?

Explain your reasons?

No, the procurement of the successor to Warmer Homes Scotland will not require a CRWIA. The procurement of the successor is a commitment within two overarching strategies, those being the Heat in Buildings and Fuel Poverty strategy. These strategies are each accompanied by a full set of relevant impact assessments. The procurement of the new national scheme will factor in any mitigating actions highlighted through each of these strategies and their accompanying impact assessments.

CWIRA Declaration

CWIRA Required ☐

CWIRA Not Required ☒

Authorisation

Policy Lead: Lyle Cavin, Delivery Manager, Heat in Buildings National Delivery Team

Date: 13/06/2022

Deputy Director or Equivalent: Sue Kearns, Deputy Director, Heat in Buildings Division

Date: 13/06/2022