Highland Council increases cold weather payment fund to meet greater expected demand
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A cold weather payment fund for Inverness residents experiencing fuel poverty is to be increased to meet expected higher demand due to the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit.
City councillors agreed to earmark £200,000 for the Inverness Common Good Fund’s discretionary winter payment fund.
Officers had recommended increasing the amount by £13,000 to £155,000.
But councillors agreed to go further by reallocating £80,000 from an underspend on the events and festivals budget.
Eligible applicants will receive a payment of £86.
Aird and Loch Ness councillor Emma Knox felt a better use of the underspend would be to increase the winter payments, or make it available to more people rather than spending it on “decadence and lighting”.
There was agreement from Inverness Ness-side councillor Alasdair Christie who said the fund was a wonderful scheme which had been going for some years.
“To many, it might seem a small amount but for people who receive them it makes a huge difference and it is appreciated,” he said.
Fellow ward councillor Ron MacWilliam said there were people with children who were classed as working poor who could not afford to heat their homes.
“Fuel poverty is something which upsets me,” he said. “We live in an energy-rich country – incredibly rich – and yet we continue to have people living in fuel poverty.”
Inverness Millburn councillor Isabelle Mackenzie queried setting up a hardship fund for the forthcoming months and felt it should be brought forward sooner rather than later.
“There are going to be folk for whatever reason who need more help,” she said.
Inverness Central councillor Janet Campbell had spoken to one senior teacher who said she could readily flag up the names of families in need of urgent assistance.
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