A study using Minimum Income Standards research to identify higher costs in remote parts of Scotland will play a key role in the Scottish Government's plans to tackle fuel poverty.
Scottish legislation sets targets for reducing fuel poverty using MIS to determine whether households have enough left to live on after paying to keep their homes warm.
The legislation requires this benchmark to take account of higher costs in remote rural areas, and CRSP were commissioned to estimate these. The study estimates that, even after covering the higher fuel costs in remote areas, households typically need 15-30% more to reach a minimum living standard as a result of having to travel longer distances and paying more for some goods and services. The pressure on these households are likely to become more severe as the cost both of home energy and vehicle fuels escalate.