RSABI launch Help for Heating Fund

The Help for Heating Fund is a one off grant of £300, which aims to help those in fuel poverty. The grant is available to those who have worked full-time on the land for at least 10 years but can no longer do so are now unable to work due to age and/or disability, and who now find themselves in fuel poverty. People currently employed in a land-based industry can also apply.

Fuel poverty is defined as spending over 10% of your total income on energy bills, and is a problem that many people living in rural areas face.

RSABI is Scotland’s unique charity, providing financial support and assistance to those who worked or are still working on the land and are now experiencing hardship. This may be a result of age, injury, illness or misfortune and leaves many rural workers living on low income and facing difficult times.

Last year RSABI helped 900 people contributing around £600,000 in direct financial support.

Mags Granger, welfare manager at RSABI, had the following to say about the campaign: “We were disappointed to discover that there are more people living in fuel poverty in Scotland despite a commitment by the Scottish Government in 2003 to eliminate fuel poverty by November 2016.

“According to The Report of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group (October 2016), one in three Scots are in fuel poverty.”

She continued: “The situation is worse in rural areas where fuel poverty effects one in two people.

“RSABI have launched the Help for Heating campaign to offer assistance to those who are in fuel poverty and meet the criteria for assistance.

“We urge those affected to get in touch ”